Following detection of avian influenza or bird flu in the poultry farm of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) here, culling of chicken began on Tuesday.
The culling was conducted within one kilometre radius of the poultry farm located inside the campus of the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry at Siripur here.
To carry out culling operation and surveillance measures, 12 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been formed with qualified veterinary doctors and para-veterinarians. Seven teams would be engaged for culling operation and the other five would carry out surveillance measures outside.
The RRTs within 1 km radius of the infected site will cull the poultry birds in the OUAT poultry farm and shops and establishments in the infected zone. “We had sent the blood sample of the birds to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal and these were tested positive to the H5N1 virus,” said OUAT Prof Sushen Panda.
Panda said “So far, about 1500 birds have died in the farm and they were buried deep inside the ground,” Panda said.
The OUAT authorities have sealed the poultry farm which houses above 15,000 chickens. The Government also appealed people not to panic over the bird flu outbreak as all measures were being taken for its control.
The Bhitarkanika National Park authorities in Kendrapada district on Tuesday sounded bird flu alert following detection of avian influenza virus at OUAT poultry farms.
