H5N1 strain is known to be more infectious and fatal to poultry and more persistent in wild bird populations
Wild birds can carry the virus without showing symptoms of it and transmit it to poultry through their feathers or faeces. Representative photo: iStock. The ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Disease, Bhopal, has detected avian influenza (H5N1) from the samples received from a government poultry farm at Bokaro, Jharkhand. This comes a day after reports of deaths of over 500 chickens in the state in the past week.
ICAR-NIHSAD received the samples on February 17, 2023.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has advised the state government to carry out the control and containment operations in accordance with the Action Plan for Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza (2021), including culling to stop the spread.
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The Jharkhand government had put all poultry farms and such facilities on high alert after bird flu cases were reported in the government-run poultry farm. Two species of chickens — Kadaknath and RIR — are kept on this farm and deaths were reported in both.
Avian influenza, also called bird flu, is an infectious viral disease of birds. Wild birds can carry the virus without showing symptoms of it and transmit it to poultry through their feathers or faeces. The H5N1 strain is known to be more infectious and fatal to poultry and more persistent in wild bird populations.
The first instance of Avian influenza was reported in the Godda district of Jharkhand in January 2019.
The Department of Animal Husbandry (AHD) has deputed a two-member central team to assist the state in the control and containment operations. Also, the Ministry of Health has deputed its central team to overview the surveillance in the human sector.
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“Secretary, AHD, Government of India had telephonic discussion with Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Government of Jharkhand regarding appropriate preventive measures and assured all support from Government of India,” a statement by the ministry of animal husbandry said.
Animal Husbandry Commissioner had a discussion with the state animal husbandry departments of Jharkhand and West Bengal and advised for effective control measures so that the disease doesn’t spread to other parts, it added.
“Further, animal husbandry commissioner took a virtual meeting with the concerned officials of the state animal husbandry department of Jharkhand for sensitising all before initiation of control and containment measures as per the Action Plan,” the statement read.
The statement also said compensation will be paid to the farmers whose poultry birds, eggs and poultry feed are culled/disposed of by the state as per the action plan.
The state was also advised to maintain sufficient stock of PPE kits and other accessories required for culling operations and submit a daily report to the department on the control measures taken by them.
The spread of H5N1 has been reported in other countries too recently. In fact, the virus, which is not known to spread among mammals easily, led to the culling of 50,000 minks in Spain last October, indicating that the virus is evolving and may be gaining pandemic potential.
The findings published January 19, 2023, indicated at least one mutation in the virus’ genome, which may make mammal-to-mammal infection easier. Typically, mammals catch avian influenza directly from infected birds.
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