Lucknow: Following reports of a bird flu case in Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh banned the import of chicken, eggs and all forms of poultry from other states, an official said Monday.
India’s southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are dealing with swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, which has so far killed eight people in the two states. In the country’s north, officials are attempting to contain a suspected case of avian flu in local birds.
The state government has also ordered thorough inspection of all poultry units across the state. Chief Veterinary Officer Vipin Kumar Agarwal while confirming the alert sounded by the state government said that the veterinary doctors of the state government were sensitised with regard to the matter.
Swine flu is a respiratory infection that weakens the immune system and attacks organs like the lungs, causing pneumonia. The flu can become fatal if the infection spreads to damage other organs. Early symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, and sore throat.
Meanwhile, an alert has been sounded for bird flu or avian flu in India’s northern state of Punjab after some birds at the Sukhna Lake in the state capital of Chandigarh tested positive for the flu while more than 300 crows have reportedly died under mysterious circumstances.
Over the last two weeks, at least 22 geese in the lake have died while one of them tested positive for the virus. Following this, the city’s administration obtained permission last week to cull about 110 of the birds.
The state government has ordered the sampling of all chickens and formation of Rapid Action teams in all districts to ensure vaccination. An official said that the state possessed 4,000 big and small poultry farms.
Bureau Report
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