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. Several states have sounded an alert to contain the H5N8 strain of bird flu and sent samples for testing. Meanwhile, Kerala began culling of chickens and ducks.

After the confirmation of positive reports of H5N8 virus (a variant of avian influenza) from the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the 12 epicenters have been identified in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.

In Kerala, around 1,700 ducks have died due to the flu in in Alappuzha and Kottayam. In Himachal Pradesh, many migratory birds, mostly bar-headed geese, found dead in Pong Dam Lake in Kangra district.

The state reported deaths of 200 more birds on January 5, officials said. They further said that the number of birds which died in Rajasthan in the recent days reached 625 on the day, amid an outbreak of bird flu. The fatalities were reported in 16 of the 33 districts of Rajasthan.

In view of the reported cases of avian influenza, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has instructed officials to maintain special vigil in view of death of crows and other birds in the state.

In Madhya Pradesh, after Indore, bird flu has been confirmed as the cause of mass death of crows in Mandsaur and Agar Malwa districts. Presence of H5N8 virus was found in the carcasses of crows in Mandsaur and Agar Malwa districts, said an official, citing test results of samples sent for laboratory analysis.

At least 155 dead crows in Indore have been found with the H5N8 virus since the pathogen was first detected in the commercial city a week back. Since December 23, 2020, about 400 avian deaths have been reported across 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh, said the Public Relations Department official.

The bird flu has been confirmed in the dead crows in Indore, Mandsaur and Agar Malwa districts, he said. Apart from these three districts, the samples of dead avian were collected from Ujjain, Sehore, Dewas, Guna, Shajapur, Khargone and Neemuch districts and sent to the NIHSAD in Bhopal for testing, the official said.