Samples of Avian influenza has been confirmed in 1800 migratory birds in Himachal Pradesh, making it the fifth state to report cases of the bird flu.
Bird flu is a highly infectious and severe respiratory disease in birds caused by the H5N1 influenza virus, which can occasionally infect humans as well.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Archana Sharma said the laboratory at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly detected avian influenza in the samples of dead birds while citing the information conveyed by the Centre.
At the same time, she said that her department was awaiting confirmation by the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, as it was the nodal body for testing this disease.
The local administration has already sounded an alert by banning all the human activities within a 10-km radius of the Pong wetlands in Kangra district.
Earlier, Haryana, Rajasthan, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh confirmed bird flu to be the cause of death for hundreds of birds.
According to the Bird Count India, a partnership comprising organizations and groups, over the past seven-10 days there have been reports of wild birds dying in separate incidents at different locations in the country.
“If you encounter a wild bird that is dead or dying, do not approach it, and under any circumstances do not touch it given the possibility (however small) that it might be infected with avian influenza. H5N1 is a highly contagious virus that can cause severe illness in people,” it warned.
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