Bird Flu Outbreak in Alappuzha: Over 28,500 Birds Culled in Two Days

Alappuzha: More than 28,500 birds were culled in Alappuzha district over two days following the detection of avian influenza (H5N1), as containment measures were intensified by the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD).

On Saturday, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) conducted culling operations in four additional grama panchayats, Cheruthana, Purakkad, Punnapra South, and Ambalappuzha South. A total of 24,309 birds were destroyed during the day, including 4,300 in Cheruthana, 5,813 in Purakkad, 8,171 in Punnapra South, and 6,025 in Ambalappuzha South.

The previous day, Friday (December 26), 4,240 birds were culled across five panchayats: Nedumudi, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Thakazhi, and Kumarapuram. In addition to the birds, authorities also destroyed 584 eggs and 8,380 kg of poultry feed as part of the biosecurity protocol.

Alappuzha District AHD officer P V Arunodaya confirmed that all culling and carcass disposal activities were carried out strictly in accordance with standard operating procedures. “Containment measures have been completed successfully, and a total of 28,549 birds have been culled so far. No new cases of avian influenza have been reported anywhere in the district,” he said.

Confirmed cases of bird flu emerged from one ward each in Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Ambalappuzha South, Punnapra South, Thakazhi, and Purakkad panchayats. Although Kumarapuram did not report any direct cases, it was designated an infected zone because it lies within a one-kilometre radius of Karthikappally.

The outbreak was identified after a large number of ducks and chickens died suddenly in the affected areas. Samples from the dead birds were initially tested at the Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Thiruvalla and later sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal, where the presence of avian influenza was confirmed.

Following the confirmation, both the Animal Husbandry and Health departments have stepped up surveillance and monitoring across the district to prevent further spread of the disease.