Central Team Assesses Bird Flu Outbreak in Odisha’s Puri District

Bhubaneswar: A Central team visited poultry farms in Puri district’s Nimapara block on Wednesday to evaluate the ongoing bird flu outbreak, marking a critical step in controlling the spread of avian influenza in the region.

The three-member team, comprising experts from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD)—Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Dr. Adhiraj Mishra, and Ramasish Hazare—conducted inspections at several affected farms in the villages of Daspurusottampur, Balipada, and Bakugaon. Their visit comes amid rising concerns over the spread of the virus, which has led to significant chicken deaths in the district.

During their assessment, the experts interacted with farm owners, local residents, and Rapid Response Teams to understand the symptoms that emerged before the chickens began dying. The team advised immediate isolation of infected birds to contain the virus and prevent further contamination in neighboring areas.

Dr. Mitra assured the public that while bird flu affects chickens, wild birds, and livestock, there have been no reported cases of human infection in Puri district so far. He emphasized the importance of maintaining strict biosecurity measures to protect both humans and animals from further risk.

Earlier, authorities confirmed that the outbreak had spread to four key locations within Puri district: Pipili, Satyabadi, Nimapara, and Delanga blocks. More than 35,000 birds have been culled in these regions as part of the containment efforts.

Control operations, led by the Central government’s action plan, have successfully been completed in Pipili and Satyabadi, with ongoing measures in Delanga and Nimapara. A total of 51 Rapid Response Teams have been mobilized to cull infected birds, manage their disposal, and sanitize affected zones in an effort to bring the outbreak under control.