RANCHI, 8 FEB

The Jharkhand government on Saturday sounded an alert after bird flu case was reported at a veterinary college-based poultry farm of Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) in Ranchi, an official said.

The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has asked the state to take all measures to contain its spread.

Around 150 Guinea fowls died over the past 20 days at the farm. The presence of H5N1, a type of avian influenza A virus, was confirmed in the samples sent to the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal, the official added.

“We sent a sample to NIHSAD on 3 February following intermittent deaths of the birds. The report confirmed the presence of H5N1,” Ranchi Veterinary College Dean Sushil Prasad said.

The Centre has asked the state government to take immediate measures including declaration of infected and surveillance areas, restricting access to infected premises, destruction of birds and disposal of dead birds and infected material.

“We have issued an advisory and standard operating procedure (SOP). A direction has also been given to prohibit sale and purchase of the birds in the area. The deputy commissioner has been directed to initiate culling of remaining birds in the farm after surveillance,” State Animal Husbandry Director Kiran Kumari Pasi told PTI.

“A directive for intensive sampling of birds across the state has also been given,” she said.

Another official said a control room is also being set up, which will be functional from Monday.

District Animal Husbandry Officer of Ranchi, Kavindra Prasad Singh, said that teams would visit the site on Sunday and start their operations. Rapid response teams have been set up.

“The birds in the epicentre of the disease and a one-kilometre radius of the affected zone will be culled. Areas within a 10 km radius will be kept under surveillance,” Singh told PTI.