Bird Flu Outbreak: Delhi becomes ninth state to confirm Avian Influenza cases

Dr Rakesh Singh from the animal husbandry unit of the Development department said, “All the eight samples i.e. four from a park in Mayur Vihar Phase 3, three from Sanjay Lake and one from Dwarka have been found positive for Avian Influenza.” 

Three other recreational parks in Delhi i.e. Hauz Khas Park, Hastsal Park, Dwarka Sector 9 Park were closed on Saturday. Barring Sanjay Lake and Hastsal Park, other parks were reopened after disinfection on Sunday. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday ordered to shut down the wholesale poultry market of Ghazipur, for the next 10-days and banned the import of live birds in the national capital on the outbreak of Bird Flu.  

As per the instructions given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during video-conferencing, water sources, bird sites, zoos etc. are being constantly monitored in all the state.  

Over the past week, hundreds of birds have been found dead in the Delhi, following which, the authorities have become vigilant, to curb the spread of the disease amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to officials, 11 rapid response teams have been set up to monitor Delhi's potential avian influenza (H5N8) hotspots. 

Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi has also instructed officials to maintain a strict vigil on birds at major bird sites, especially poultry markets, water bodies, zoos, and other potential hotspots. The hotspots include Ghazipur Fish and Poultry Market, Shakti Sthal Lake, Sanjay Lake, Bhalswa Horseshoe Lake, Delhi Zoo, and smaller water bodies in DDA parks among others. 

Due to the bird flu scare, the wholesale prices of poultry have dropped by around Rs 40 per kg in two days in capital, according to traders in the city’s wholesale markets. 

However, the drop in poultry prices is yet to reflect in retail markets, even as traders across the city said the number of customers has dipped slightly. 

The other states that have confirmed cases of Avian Influenza are Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana & Gujarat. 

In India, no case of bird flu in humans has been detected so far, according to the health ministry. The department of animal husbandry has reported 25 episodes of H5N1 bird flu in poultry in 15 states from 2006 when the first outbreak occurred in Maharashtra and Gujarat till 2015. 

Bird Flu’s first case was reported in Hong Kong’s live bird market in 1997, it was the H5N1 strain of the virus, and 6 out of 18 infected humans died of the disease.