After reports of bird flu in Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Surat and Bharuch, the Ministry of Agriculture has directed Gujarat Chief Secretary JN Singh to take preventive measures as per action plan on Avian Influenza H5N1. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was also intimated in the matter.
The National Institute for High Security Animal Diseases (NISHAD) has in its recent report claimed that the serum samples poultry birds (crows and pigeon) sent from Servadharam, Memnagar Rescue Centre, Ahmedabad were found positive for the dreaded Avian Influenza H5NI (bird flu) virus. The samples of Bharuch, Surat and Jamnagar had tested negative for bird flu.
In a letter to chief secretary of Gujarat, JN Singh, the Ministry of Agriculture said: “The samples from the Servadharam Memnagar Rescue Centre, Ahmedabad were sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) Bhopal which confirmed on January 11, 2017 that the samples were found positive in RT-PCR, Real time (RT-PCR) and virus isolation for H5NI strain of Avian Influenza virus”.
“State was intimated of the positive results on January 11, 2017. The state was requested to carry out the control and containment operation as per action plan of animal husbandry for preparedness, control and containment of Avian Influenza (2015),” it said. The only other place near Gujarat that has reported an instance of bird flu is Daman.
Following outbreak of bird flu, the Gujarat government had issued guidelines for hotels in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar not to serve chicken to VVIP guests duringVibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) to be held during 10th to 13th January. The decision was taken by the state health department following 19 birds - turkeys and guinea fowl- tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the influenza virus. Over 1600 birds were killed near Ahmedabad in Hathijan area as per the norms of Central Government and alert issued in 10 km radius of the poultry farm where the birds were tested positive for H5N1.