As the nation continues to battle against the COVID-19 virus, bird flu or Avian Influenza has infected birds in parts of Karnataka.

According to a News 18 report, more than 6,000 domestic birds were culled in Mysore and Davangere after the authorities confirmed the infection on March 14.

On Tuesday, as many as 4,100 birds were culled in Mysore after the flu was detected in Kumbarakoppal village while 989 birds were culled on Wednesday.

‘Our next step would be a mapping operation to find any remaining infected bird. After that, there would be ‘combing operation’ to find hidden birds. Once the two-day sanitisation process is over, people can reopen shops for the sale of chicken and eggs,’ Deputy Commissioner of Mysore district, Abhiram G Shankar said.

According to Shankar, of the seven samples that were tested in the neighbouring farms of the district, two were found positive for bird flu. Shankar termed the cases ‘sporadic’ and added that the birds were culled as part of precautionary measures and ‘did not show any infection’.

He also stated that there is no need to worry about the spread. Meanwhile, in the district of Davangere, the flu was first detected in Bannikodu village of Harihara taluk.

The village was visited by the officials on Tuesday, March 17 to identify the infected farms and birds. The department of animal husbandry then culled 1,600 birds by March 17.

According to the department officials, the Davangere case surfaced after a poultry farm owner culled thousands of his birds citing fall in chicken prices. The district administration had ordered the culling after the birds tested positive for the infection.

The district administrations of Mysore and Davangere have now ordered the culling of birds in a 1 km radius around the villages where the infections were found. Other measures to contain the flu including a ban on the sale of chicken and eggs in a 10 km radius until the farms are fully sanitised. The poultry farm owners will also be compensated for the birds culled as per government fixed rate for the birds.

A rumour about the widespread ban of poultry products is doing the rounds in social media. It should be noted that there are no such restrictions except the one imposed with 10 km of the said villages.

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