Maharashtra has become the eighth state to confirm bird flu. The confirmation came after the test results of 800 chicken that died in Parbhani came positive.
Deepak Mughlikar, District Collector, Parbhani told news agency ANI on Monday, “Three days ago, 800 chickens in Murumba village died due to bird flu. District administration had sent blood samples of dead chickens to National Laboratory. Reports confirm that the chickens died of bird flu.”
On Sunday, 11 crows were found dead in Mumbai’s Chembur area. The carcasses were sent to Pune for examination. BMC officials said the reason for the death of the crows is yet to be determined.
Besides Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have already confirmed a bird-flu outbreak. The central government has advised to put up precautionary measures in the states to identify and isolate any cases of avian influenza. They have asked the states to curb the spread of the disease.
The Central Government has also directed zoo managements to submit daily reports to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) till their area is declared free from the disease.
Due to the bird flu reports across the country, chicken shop owners said their business has been hit hard.
Also Read: Bird Flu In India: Six States Confirm Avian Flu Cases