Hyderabad: Making a bad public health situation due to the coronavirus pandemic worse, alarming cases of avian flu spreading across bird populations have emerged in 10 states of the country at a time when it is gathering all its strength to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.
Crows and eagles died in large numbers in Rajasthan due to the avian flu virus brought home by migratory birds. On December 31, 2020, the National Animal Laboratory of Bhopal confirmed that the avian influenza virus was detected in the bird carcasses given to it to ascertain the cause of death. Within no time, bird flu has spread to Indore, Gujarat, Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
Respective state governments are taking steps on a war-footing by trying to arrest the spread of the avian flu virus through culling and scientifically burying poultry birds located in a span of one kilometre from where cases of avian flu have been reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself alerted all the chief ministers, stating that alert should also be exercised by states where no traces of bird flu are detected till date.
Nearly 83 lakh poultry birds were killed and buried due to avian flu between 2006 and 2018. State machinery is following the same strategy this time as well. However, they should take care to ensure minimum loss to the poultry sector.
Covid-19 dealt a blow to both manufacture and service sectors. Inspite of the prevalent pandemic, agriculture was the only sector that progressed undaunted. The advent of avian flu tends to affect that sector as well. According to estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture, there are 73 crore poultry birds in the country. To protect them from the deadly virus is very essential for the rural economy.
With its 128 variants, the avian influenza virus had spread dread among many countries earlier. The World Animal Health Organization has recently stated that
between December 4 and December 24 last year, avian flu had struck at 74 places in 14 countries.
Though bird flu does not infect humans, H5N1 variant can mutate to become an infectious disease among humans, says the World Health Organization.
As part of the fight against bird flu, the dead chicken and other infected birds should not be touched with bare hands sans hand gloves. When birds die due to mysterious reasons, the official machinery should be immediately alerted.
Everyone should be educated about such precautions if the spread of disease is to be arrested. The Centre is emphatically stating that a national action plan for control and eradication of Avian Influenza should be strictly followed.
According to WHO data, bird flu-infected 862 humans from 17 countries since the year 2003. As many as 455 infected persons died.
State governments should spread awareness on bird flu along with the Covid-19 awareness programs. By doing so, they can protect people’s lives from
mutant viruses and also save the poultry sector that is worth a whopping Rs 80,000 crore.
Earlier there were rumours that Covid-19 was spreading due consumption of poultry meat. The rumour had caused the sector a loss of Rs 7500 crore. The poultry sector is yet to recover from that loss. Awareness should be spread among the consumers that the virus cannot remain alive in the Indian dishes that are cooked above 70 degrees centigrade.
People should participate in the eradication of bird flu by equipping themselves with the requisite disease resistance resulting from safe practices in non-veg consumption.
Also read: Bird flu: Chicken, egg sales decline sharply in Maharastra
