Bird flu confirmed in Annamayya district as fresh chicken deaths emerge in Chittoor

Vijayawada: Days after the bird flu outbreak in Ammagaripalli and Puttavaripalli villages of Sodam mandal in Annamayya district, a fresh wave of sudden chicken deaths emerged from Karvetinagaram mandal in Chittoor district. This prompted the AP animal husbandry department to collect samples of the dead chickens and subsequently send them to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, for testing on Sunday.Animal husbandry officials confirmed that the poultry deaths at Ammagaripalli and Puttavaripalli were due to avian influenza (bird flu). NIHSAD confirmed that the deaths were related to outbreak of bird flu.Rapid response teams (RRTs) were deployed, and culling operations were initiated at the affected locations. The operations are being supervised by the district collector and carried out in coordination with the animal husbandry, revenue, police, panchayat raj, and medical and health departments.Animal husbandry director Dr T Damodar Naidu said enhanced surveillance was also undertaken in surrounding areas, with farmers advised to ensure necessary biosecurity and precautionary measures.Officials also put in place enforcement of strict containment, movement control, disinfection, and continuous surveillance in and around the affected areas to prevent further spread of the disease in the state.Assuring that there is no need for panic, officials urged the people to consume meat only after thoroughly cooking it. They also advised poultry farmers to maintain strict biosecurity, report any unusual bird mortality to veterinary authorities.