Andhra: Agri Minister says strict measures in place to control spread of bird flu

Amaravathi (Andhra Pradesh) [India], February 13 (ANI): Andhra Agriculture, Cooperation, Marketing, and Animal Husbandry Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu reassured the public that there is no cause for concern regarding bird flu, as the government has implemented strict measures to control its spread.
"There is no need for anyone to worry about bird flu, as the government is constantly vigilant and has taken stringent measures to control its spread", said Atchannaidu.
As per a release from the Director, Information & Public Relations Department, Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, while speaking to the media on Thursday, the minister stated "Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu had immediately responded to the issue by consulting with the Joint Secretary of the Central Animal Husbandry Department and scientists from the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal."
He added that several teams from the central government had already arrived in the state, and the Joint Secretary of the Central Animal Husbandry Department was scheduled to visit on Friday.
As per the release, Minister Atchannaidu emphasized that the public should not panic and clarified that properly cooked eggs and meat are completely safe to consume. He urged people not to believe misleading reports circulating in some media outlets and warned that strict action would be taken against those spreading false information to create unnecessary fear among the public.
The state government has already implemented several measures to control the spread of bird flu. The virus has been detected in five poultry farms in Badampudi (Eluru district), Velpuru and Kanuru (West Godavari district), and Gampalagudem (Krishna district). These areas have been declared biosecurity zones, and officials have been deployed to prevent further spread, the release stated.
The central government has issued guidelines that the state has to rigorously adhere to.
Entry and exit, as well as feed transportation, are restricted within a 1 km radius of infected areas. Precautionary steps are being taken within a 1-9 km radius to prevent further spread.
As per the release, "There have been no reports of the virus spreading beyond these locations, and officials across all districts remain on high alert."
T Damodara Naidu, Director of the State Animal Husbandry Department, explained that the migratory Siberian birds may have contributed to the spread of bird flu in some parts of the state. The affected areas have been declared red zones, and necessary containment measures have been implemented.
So far, the state has Culled 14,000 chickens and destroyed 340 eggs. Identified 1.4 lakh chickens in two to three additional poultry farms, which will also be culled soon to prevent further transmission. (ANI)