"Preventive measures under Animal Husbandry to contain Bird flu outbreak in Ranchi": police

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], April 25 (ANI): A series of actions including a total restriction on the sale and purchase of all birds and conducting surveys around the epicentre have been taken under the Ministry of Animal Husbandry following the confirmation of the Bird Flu outbreak in Ranchi, said an official on Thursday.
Speaking about the Bird Flu outbreak, Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha told ANI, "Bird Flu has been confirmed in Ranchi. As soon as the Bird Flu is confirmed, a series of actions take place under the guidelines mentioned in the Ministry of Animal Husbandry. The first action is a total ban on the sale and purchase of all birds in the 1 km radius of the epicentre."
Adding further the official said, "A survey of all the birds is also conducted in the region. A machinery of the district has also been deployed for the containment of Bird Flu. The District Animal Husbandry Office, Municipal Corporation, Police and Magistrate have formed a rapid response team."
"In this context, advisories have been issued in the newspapers, additionally the administration will ensure the application of all kinds of precautionary measures in the region for containment of Bird Flu," he said.
The Animal Husbandry Directorate, Ranchi, has formed a Rapid Response Team (RRT) for the culling of poultry and cleaning and disinfection of infected areas after H5N1 Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) was detected in the poultry area, Hotwa.
The RRT team will work to disinfect the area within 1 km of Epic Centre in the poultry area, Hotwa.
Meat technologist at the Regional Poultry Farm, Dr Santosh Kumar, told ANI, "In the 1 km radius, all chickens and eggs will be disposed of. We will tell all farmers and shopkeepers not to bring any outside poultry. Until we do not receive a negative report, we will ask them not to farm chicken."
On the orders of the District Collector, about 1745 chickens, 450 ducks and 1697 eggs living here have been disposed of.
During this time, the doctor and other employees of the poultry farm have been ordered to spread awareness in the surrounding area.
H5N1 stands for Highly Pathogenic Asian Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus.
Avian influenza is a strain of the influenza virus that primarily infects birds, but can also infect humans. This type of flu is most often contracted by contact with sick birds. It can also be passed from person to person.
Almost all cases of H5N1 infection in people have been associated with close contact with infected live or dead birds or H5N1-contaminated environments. (ANI)