RAJASTHAN/MADHYA PRADESH: Even as the nation is still grappling with Covid-19, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh stare down into another contagious disease “Bird Flu” as the presence of avian influenza virus confirmed in seven crows which died recently at Jal Mahal in Jhalwar and 83 crows found dead behind Daly College Indore. So far 252 crows reported having been died in several districts including Jaipur and 328 crows found dead in Madhya Pradesh.
Rajasthan State Animal Husbandry Department has set up monitoring centers in affected district and a state-level control room to oversee the situation. Animal Husbandry Department Kunji Lal Meena said, mostly crows have died due to bird flu in Kota and Jodhpur divisions. The Department has issued necessary guidelines considering the threat posed by virus. All field officials and poultry farm operators have been alerted.
They were monitoring the situation at affected areas, particularly the wetlands like Sambhar lake and Kaila Devi Bird Sanctuary. Reports of crow deaths from Jhalawar were reported mostly on December 25. Samples were sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, where the bird flu virus H5N1 was detected in the lab. Of the 100 crows, 72 were found dead at Baran, 47 at Kota, 19 at Pali, 7 in Jodhpur and 7 in Jaipur.
The Avian Influenza detected in the dead crows of Indore Madhya Pradesh was a slightly different strain i.e. H5N8 whereas in Rajasthan it was H5N1. Cases of deaths of crows also reported from Neemach, Mandsaur, and Aagar-Malwa. First case of avian influenza in Indore reported on December 29, 2020. In Neemach, 45 crows and some pigeons died at an Opium Factory. As many as 200 crows reportedly died in Mandsaur. Samples from all the dead birds were sent to the NIHSAD, Bhopal.
