The Centre has asked States to review policy of banning supply of poultry and poultry products from other States as there is no scientific report available that infection of Avian Influenza or bird flu viruses spread through processed products as this would add to the negative impact on the poultry industry.

“Further, there is no scientific report available. Consumption of well-cooked chicken and eggs does not pose any risk to humans,” the ministry of animal husbandry and dairying said in its latest advisory to state governments urging state to review policy of banning supply of poultry products from other states amid scare of bird flu or avian influenza in 12 states across the country.

“Additional cases of avian influenza among crows have been confirmed in Dangs district of Gujarat. After successfully finishing the culling operations, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have completed sanitization activities. In Haryana, samples from four poultry farms have been confirmed to be positive for avian influenza (H5N8). The farms are: Maharaja poultry farm in Khatauli; Tara poultry farm, Batour and Singla poultry farm in Mauli village of Panchkula district of Haryana,’ the ministry said.

The ministry of animal husbandry and dairying has also requested Ministry of Civil Aviation to allow uninterrupted transportation of samples for expeditious testing of Avian Influenza in designated laboratories.

Meanwhile, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Giriraj Singh on Thursday said the Delhi government’s decision to open Ghazipur poultry market will send a positive message throughout the country, even as it asked states to ensure that all precautions are taken to curb the spread of bird flu. Bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat so far. Singh said: “Hope the decision to lift the ban on Ghazipur mandi will send a positive message throughout the country. I urged them to take precautions and not to panic.”

He said the Centre had issued an advisory in October 2020 on bird flu and also set up control room.”Had the advisory been followed, there would not have been panic in Delhi or other states,” the minister said. Singh said he had a meeting with Delhi Deputy Chief Minister earlier in the day.

“There was positive discussion. Three mayors were also there in the video conference. The Delhi government has taken decision to open the Ghazipur mandi,” Singh said, adding that it was decided that the MCDs will also take back their direction issued on banning sale of chicken and eggs in hotels and restaurants.