Poultry workers being screened for potential bird flu infections

Poultry workers being screened for potential bird flu infections

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM All workers in chicken shops and poultry farms within the 10-km surveillance zone of the three bird flu hotspots in East Godavari district are being sent for medical tests to check for possible human infections. The measure follows the recent detection of avian influenza in the district’s poultry sector. The first bird flu case … Read more

Bird flu strain raises alarm as virus kills South American wildlife

Bird flu strain raises alarm as virus kills South American wildlife

The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has spread more aggressively than ever before in wild birds and marine mammals since arriving in South America in 2022, raising the risk of it evolving into a bigger threat to humans, according to interviews with eight scientists. Of more immediate concern is evidence the disease, once largely confined … Read more

The next pandemic? It’s already here for Earth’s wildlife

The next pandemic? It’s already here for Earth’s wildlife

I am a conservation biologist who studies emerging infectious diseases. When people ask me what I think the next pandemic will be I often say that we are in the midst of one – it’s just afflicting a great many species more than ours. I am referring to the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza … Read more

France puts country on ‘high’ alert for bird flu

France puts country on ‘high’ alert for bird flu

France raised the risk level of bird flu to ‘high’ from ‘moderate’ on Tuesday after the detection of new cases of the disease, forcing poultry farms to keep birds indoors to stem the spread of the highly contagious virus. The decision, taken by the agriculture ministry, was published in the Official Journal on Tuesday. Avian … Read more

WHO concerned about bird flu cases in humans after girl’s death in Cambodia

WHO concerned about bird flu cases in humans after girl’s death in Cambodia

The World Health Organisation expressed concern about bird flu on February 24 after the father of an 11-year-old Cambodian girl who died from the disease also tested positive, raising fears of human-to-human transmission. Since late 2021, one of the worst global avian influenza outbreaks on record has seen tens of millions of poultry culled, mass … Read more

Half a Million Chickens to Be Destroyed in Bird Flu Outbreak

Half a Million Chickens to Be Destroyed in Bird Flu Outbreak

March 23, 2022 A commercial chicken farm in Nebraska will destroy 570,000 broilers because a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza – better known as bird flu – was discovered in the flock, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture reported. Earlier this month, bird flu was discovered in a backyard flock in Merrick County and in … Read more

Bird Flu in Kerala: 12,000 ducks were culled in Kerala’s Alappuzha district, restrictions imposed in affected areas

Bird Flu in Kerala: 12,000 ducks were culled in Kerala’s Alappuzha district, restrictions imposed in affected areas

Last year too, the district reported the influenza outbreak but was contained for being localized in nature. (PTI Image) A total of 12,000 ducks were culled in ward number 10 of the Thakazhi gram panchayat in Kerala’s Alappuzha district after the state reported bird flu cases on Thursday. The culled birds were buried safely within … Read more

1st Bird flu casualty in Delhi sparks fear, see how avian influenza spreads, symptoms

1st Bird flu casualty in Delhi sparks fear, see how avian influenza spreads, symptoms

Fever, cough, body ache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea are some of the most prominent symptoms of the disease. Severe respiratory problems can also arise in severe cases of the disease. An 11-year old boy became the first casualty of H5N1 avian influenza in the national capital on Wednesday sparking fear among people. While the avian influenza … Read more

Bird Flu: Experts stress vaccine legalisation over bird culling in India

Bird Flu: Experts stress vaccine legalisation over bird culling in India

Countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Pakistan have developed vaccines for these certain strains. As the number of bird flu cases in poultry have risen substantially in India this month, some experts are of view that India should legalise vaccination against avian influenza (commonly known as bird flu). Right now, India practises the guidelines … Read more

Bird Flu: Multiple strains of avian influenza and what threat it poses on humans

Bird Flu: Multiple strains of avian influenza and what threat it poses on humans

The H5N8 strain of avian influenza that has been detected in most of the states has not affected humans so far. Two different kinds of avian influenza strain have been found in Himachal Pradesh i.e. the H5N1 virus detected in migratory birds visiting the Pong Dam Lake and another H5N8 subtype in the dead poultry … Read more