New Delhi: Delhi confirmed cases of bird flu Monday, joining the list of Indian states and Union territories that have reported an avian influenza outbreak.
So far, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana have confirmed bird flu cases.
On Monday, reports from a laboratory in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal confirmed that a total of eight samples taken from Mayur Vihar, Dwarka and Sanjay Lake in the national capital were found to be positive for the flu, Delhi government officials told ThePrint.
“We have received details from the lab in Bhopal and the reports from the Jalandhar laboratory are expected by the evening,” said Rakesh Singh, Director, Delhi Animal Husbandry Department.
The deaths of over 70 crows in Delhi last week led to a panic, after which samples were sent to the laboratories in Jalandhar and Bhopal. The disease, caused by the H5N1 virus, spreads from bird to bird.
A parliamentary meeting will be held at 3 pm with senior Animal Husbandry Department officials to discuss the availability of animal vaccines in the country.
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Many parts of the city hit
Last week, residents of Mayur Vihar claimed that the number of dead birds was much higher than the 17 reported by the local government.
Clusters of dead birds were also found in other parts of the city over the last few days — 16 in DDA Park, Sector 9, Dwarka on 8 January, as well as 20 in DDA Park, Hastsal, Uttam Nagar on 6 January.
While samples from Uttam Nagar were sent to the Northern Region Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Jalandhar late Thursday, those from Dwarka were sent to Bhopal along with the ones from Mayur Vihar.
Parks in the city areas that have reported bird flu cases — Mayur Vihar Phase 3, Dwarka Sector 9 and Sanjay Lake — have been shut down in the meanwhile.
Last week, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia held a meeting with the officials of Animal Husbandry Department to review the situation. Eleven rapid response teams were constituted in each district to be prepared to handle cases in case of an outbreak of bird flu.
On 9 January, the Delhi government ordered the closure of the biggest wholesale poultry market in Ghazipur for 10 days, and also banned import of live birds. On 4 January, guidelines were also issued to all doctors to continue their regular sample collection and strict monitoring.
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