Kerala: Bird flu outbreak in Alappuzha; Mass culling of ducks soon

H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that primarily affects birds, particularly poultry such as chickens and ducks. The ducks in Kuttanad of Alappuzha district have been reportedly affected by the virus.

Aishwarya Nair

First Published Apr 18, 2024, 9:47 AM IST | Last Updated Apr 18, 2024, 9:47 AM IST

Alappuzha: In response to the confirmed cases of bird flu in Kuttanad, restrictions have been implemented on the sale of ducks in the Edathua, Cheruthana, and Champakulam panchayats. This decision was made during a meeting chaired by the District Collector, which included departmental officials and representatives from the affected panchayats. The measures aim to contain the spread of the disease and safeguard public health.

To prevent the further spread of the disease, all ducks in the panchayats of Edathua, Cheruthana, and Champakulam in Kuttanad will be culled immediately. Procedures for this culling process have been initiated in response to the recent outbreak of bird flu in the region. Ducks in these areas have been experiencing a significant number of deaths over the past week, prompting authorities to take swift action. Samples taken from affected ducks were sent to a laboratory in Bhopal for testing, and all three samples tested positive for the disease.

What is the H5N1 virus?

H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that primarily affects birds, particularly poultry such as chickens and ducks. It is highly pathogenic, meaning it can cause severe illness and high mortality rates in infected birds. H5N1 is one of several subtypes of the influenza A virus, and it can also infect other animals and occasionally humans.

Direct contact with infected birds, their droppings or contaminated surfaces are ways of spreading the virus. The infection has not yet been easily transmitted to humans, but when it does, the fatality rate can be as high as 60 percent.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of H5N1 infection in humans can range from typical flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches to more severe respiratory illness, pneumonia, and multi-organ failure.

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