By Health In Five Writer
Delhi and Maharashtra have confirmed bird flu amid nationwide efforts to contain the spread. All eight samples — four from a park in Mayur Vihar Phase 3, three from Sanjay Lake, and one from Dwarka — have been found positive for avian influenza, Dr. Rakesh Singh from the animal husbandry unit of the Development Department said. Seven other states – Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat – had earlier confirmed Avian Influenza as the cause of the recent bird deaths.
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has summoned senior officials of the Ministry of Animal Husbandry to examine the availability of animal vaccines in the country; the meeting will take place at 3 pm today. Haryana has reported the highest number of bird deaths; more than 4 lakh birds have died in the last few weeks. Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh are also on alert.
Delhi has banned import of live birds and the biggest wholesale poultry market in Ghazipur has been temporarily shut down. Sanjay Lake was also closed after 27 ducks were found dead over the last three-four days. Authorities have declared it an “alert zone”. Ninety-one crows have also died across DDA parks at Begumpur, Sarita Vihar, Dilshad Garden and Dwarka in the last week.
Delhi has banned import of live birds and the biggest wholesale poultry market in Ghazipur has been temporarily shut down. “Rapid response teams have been formed in every district to contain the spread. Veterinary doctors are also constantly on the lookout. The focus is particularly on the poultry markets in Sanjay Lake, Bhalswa Lake, and Hauz Khas,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently tweeted.
Himachal Pradesh reported deaths of over 2,000 birds, most of them bar-headed geese, at Pong Dam sanctuary. In Haryana, culling of over 1.6 lakh birds at five poultry farms began in Panchkula district
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