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Bird flu scare in India: 25,000 chickens to be culled near Mumbai

Government rules specify that all poultry birds and eggs within a 1km radius of the affected area have to be destroyed

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About 25,000 birds in a poultry farm in Thane near Mumbai will be culled following a bird flu scare.

Dr Bhausaheb Dangde, the CEO of the local body in Thane, told the media that results of tests relating to the sudden death of several chickens confirmed that they died due to H5N1 avian influenza. Samples of the dead birds have been sent to a laboratory for testing.

Sachindra Pratap Singh, commissioner of Animal Husbandry, Maharashtra, said the administration is on high alert.

“We got confirmation last night that the birds were infected with avian influenza,” Singh told the media. All are on alert and measures to contain the spread are in place. “But there is no need to panic,” he added.

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The farm reported the death of nearly 200 poultry birds on February 10. Government rules specify that all poultry birds and eggs within a 1km radius of the affected area have to be destroyed. During a previous outbreak in the state, more than a million birds and six million eggs had been culled.

The state government paid Rs30 million as compensation for the farmers.

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