After Rajasthan, bird flu virus found in dead crows in Indore

At least 96 crows have been found dead in Indore in the past four days and bird flu virus has been detected in few samples. The area has been put under curfew and sanitisation drive is being carried out.

Indore: After Rajasthan, bird flu virus has been detected in samples of two crows whose carcasses were found in the city three days ago, putting the authorities on alert, a civic health official said on Friday. The animal husbandry department has issued an alert and imposed a curfew in 5 kilometers radius.

A total of 96 crows have been found dead in the city in the past four days, prompting health authorities to carry a sanitisation drive.

The authorities have now launched a drive to identify those with suspected flu symptoms in the area.

After Rajasthan, bird flu virus found in dead crows in Indore

"Nearly fifty crows were found dead on the campus of Daly College on Tuesday. Some of the carcasses were sent for tests to Bhopal. Two of them were found to be carrying the H5N8 virus and the rest had Avian influenza," Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer Poornima Gadaria told reporters.

A survey is being conducted to trace those with cold, cough and fever in a radius of five kilometres in the plush Residency Area where the college is situated, she said.

Suspected patients' swab samples will be tested, she added.

Pramod Sharma, deputy director of Indore veterinary service, said that on Friday 20 more crows were found dead on Daly College's premises. The test results of these carcasses were awaited.

Indore district has already been affected worst by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Madhya Pradesh.

Ornithologist Dr Prashant Tiwari said that bird flu is not fatal for humans and it is now found in crows.

Bird flu was first reported from Rajasthan's Jhalawad area where around 100 crows were found dead due to avian flu. Peacocks and other birds were also found dead in Kalwa village of Makrana sub-block in Nagaur district.

Rajasthan-based ornithologist Rohit Gangwal said, "The birds found dead in Jhalawar were found to be contracted with avian flu. Peacocks were found dead due to the consumption of poisonous sprouts and a proper investigation must be done. There are chances of transmission of avian flu from birds to humans and proper measures have to be put in place to contain its spread."

With agency inputs