Bird Flu Outbreak in Puri District: 5,000 Chickens Culled as Precautionary Measure

Bhubaneswar: Around 5,000 chickens were culled at a poultry farm in the Pili area of Puri district after bird flu was confirmed in the region. A special Rapid Response Team (RRT) initiated the culling operation in Abalpur near Pipili, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Additional Director of Animal Disease Control, Dr. Jagannath Nanda, reported that 13 RRTs from various districts were deployed for the task. “We culled around 1,000 birds yesterday and 4,749 today in Abalpur,” he stated, adding that chickens in nearby farms in Abalpur, Baligaan, Nuagadi, and adjacent villages will also be culled, with a target of approximately 20,000 birds.

Following protocols, all culled chickens were buried alongside their feeders. Local residents have been made aware of the highly contagious disease and advised to avoid consuming chickens for the time being.

A local farmer from Abalpur confirmed that his farm was sanitized after the culling process, and the government has promised compensation.

The bird flu outbreak was confirmed after samples tested positive for the H5N1 strain at the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal. The local Block Development Officer (BDO) has since initiated containment measures to prevent the spread of the virus.