First cases of avian flu in Jammu region

Jammu, January 31

Udhampur and Poonch districts of the Jammu region have reported their first cases of avian influenza as samples taken from three dead birds tested positive for the disease, prompting precautionary measures, including the culling process, a senior official said Sunday.

2 samples test +ve in Udhampur, 1 in Poonch

While samples from a peacock and domestic fowl came positive for H5N8 from the Juganu block in Udhampur, a wild crow was tested positive for H5N1 from the Mandi area of Poonch.-  DD Dogra, Deputy Director (poultry and research), Animal Husbandry Department, Jammu

The Deputy Director (Poultry and Research) of the Animal Husbandry Department, Jammu, DD Dogra, said while samples from a peacock and domestic fowl came positive for H5N8 from the Juganu block in Udhampur, a wild crow was tested positive for H5N1 from the Mandi area of Poonch.

“These are the first positive cases in the Jammu region but there is no need to panic as majority of the test reports are negative,” he said.

Dogra said the department had so far collected and dispatched 218 samples for testing at Jalandhar in Punjab.

Barring the three positive reports from Udhampur and Poonch, which were cross-checked from the Bhopal laboratory, 115 reports came negative, while the result of rest of the cases was awaited, he said.

He said the department had taken necessary measures in accordance with the government guidelines to prevent the spread of the infection.

“Since a domestic fowl and a peacock were tested positive for bird flu in Udhampur, we have started culling of the birds in 1 km and active surveillance in 1-10 km radius,” Dogra said. — PTI