Poultry bird in Bellary tested positive for avian flu

New Delhi: A poultry bird in Bellary district of Karnataka was tested positive for bird flu virus H5N8 and the state government has been asked to take steps to prevent spread of the disease, the Union government said on Friday.

There are no further reports of mortality from any part of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, where post-operation surveillance is going on, it noted.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Avian Influenza virus H5N8, also known as bird flu, is considered to be less risky of being transmitted to humans.

"The mortality was reported of poultry bird (chicken) in Itagi village, Hospet taluk of Bellary district in Karnataka," Union Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.

Yesterday, Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) confirmed that the samples are positive for H5N8 Avian Influenza virus, it said.

The Karnataka government has been given the directions to initiate the control and containment operations.

An officer from the Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Bengaluru has been deputed to Bellary for overseeing the operation and assisting the state government.

The Ministry said that the control and containment operations are being carried out at various epicenters in Kerala. "The situation is under control."

"There is no further report of mortality from any part of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, where post-operation surveillance is going on," it added.

The samples sent from Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Gwalior (MP), Madipur (Delhi) and Rohtak (Haryana) have been tested negative for Avian Influenza.