A worker cleaning a poultry farm near Nunna in NTR district on Wednesday as bird mortalities were reported from some farms in the district.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO
A day after mass mortality of more than 4,000 birds was reported from a poultry farm at Anumollanka village in Gampalagudem mandal of NTR district, the officials on Wednesday confirmed death of 3,000 more birds at the same farm.
All the birds, aged 24 days, were broiler chicks and belonged to the same farm, Sri Balaji Poultry Farms, but to two different sheds, said M. Hanumantha Rao, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry, NTR district.
With Wednesday’s toll, the farm has lost all its birds and they have been safely disposed of, he said.
The officials suspect bird flu, a viral infection, while confirmation of the same has to come from the Bhopal-based ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases where samples have been sent for testing. The lab reports are expected in three days.
“The further action will be decided based on the report. As of now, we have declared the areas within 1 km radius of the farm a red zone and the area within 10 km a surveillance zone. There is no other farm in the red zone, but there is one in the surveillance zone,” Mr. Hanumantha Rao said, adding that the other farm has been asked to be on alert.
He said people in the village have been asked to not consume chicken and eggs, but there are no such restrictions in other places of the district, including Vijayawada.
Rapid Response Team
A Rapid Response Team, formed on February 5, has been visiting all 116 poultry farms in the district and conducting orientation programmes for farmers who are being sensitised to sanitation and biosecurity practices, the official said.
At present, the district administration is not letting in or sending vehicles carrying chicks from other districts or States. Warning boards have been put up along the inter-district and inter-State borders, the official said, adding that if the lab reports turn positive for the flu virus, then the same restrictions would be applied on vehicles carrying eggs too.
Meanwhile, Krishna district Collector D.K. Balaji held another meeting on Wednesday to discuss the measures to be taken in view of the bird flu alert.
District Animal Husbandry Officer N. Ch. Narasimhalu said the Collector asked the Mandal Parishad Development Officers (MPDOs) to ensure that sanitation practices were being followed at all poultry centres and the waste was being disposed of properly.
Restrictions at borders
“We are strengthening our borders and not letting in any vehicles carrying chickens or eggs as Krishna is a neighbour to all the affected districts,” Mr. Narasimhulu said, adding that measures are being taken to check distress sale of chicken and eggs from the affected districts too.
Both officials said that there was no harm in consuming chicken or eggs as of now, provided they were properly boiled and cooked.
Published – February 12, 2025 11:15 pm IST
