Bird flu outbreak confirmed in Kottayam district

In a major blow to poultry farmers, authorities have confirmed the presence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Kottayam district. According to officials from the Animal Husbandry department, preventive measures have been intensified after avian influenza (H5N1) was confirmed in ward 16 of Udayanapuram grama panchayat in Vaikom taluk. District Collector Chetan Kumar Meena convened a meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority, which decided to cull poultry stock and other domestic birds within a 1-km radius of the affected area, following prescribed protocols. While the area within a 1-km radius of the infection site has been declared an infected zone, a 10-km radius has been declared a surveillance zone.

In addition to Udayanapuram panchayat, the sale, transport, and use of eggs, meat, manure and other poultry products from ducks, chickens, quails, and other domesticated birds have been banned for three days in local body areas falling within a 10-km radius. These include Vaikom municipality, Chempu, Maravanthuruthu, TV Puram, Thalayazham, Kallara, Thalayolaparambu, and Kaduthuruthy.