Khordha on Alert as Bird Flu Outbreak Confirmed in Jankia; Over 4,500 Chickens Culled

Bhubaneswar: Authorities in Odisha’s Khordha district have swung into action following the confirmation of a bird flu outbreak in the Jankia area. A mass culling operation has been launched to contain the spread of the virus, which was identified after a spike in poultry deaths triggered suspicion among local farmers.

Blood samples from affected poultry farms were sent to a veterinary laboratory in Bhopal for analysis. The results confirmed the presence of avian influenza, prompting the district administration to implement immediate containment measures.

In one of the major interventions, 4,507 chickens were culled at a poultry farm in Mundamba, an area within the outbreak zone. Officials also destroyed 1,600 kilograms of poultry feed to eliminate any potential source of further contamination. All infected material and carcasses were disposed of in a deep burial pit, following strict biosecurity protocols.

Over 50 veterinarians and officials have been deployed to the region to conduct the culling, sanitisation, and surveillance work. Disinfection drives are ongoing in the affected and surrounding areas to prevent the virus from spreading to nearby farms.

Khordha District Chief Veterinarian Rabinarayan Behera confirmed the outbreak and said the response measures were in line with national avian flu control guidelines. He stressed that controlling the spread at this early stage is critical to ensuring the safety of both poultry and public health.

Local poultry farm owners have been asked to remain vigilant and immediately report any signs of unusual bird deaths. Meanwhile, residents in the region have been advised to avoid handling or coming into contact with poultry until the situation is brought fully under control.

Officials continue to monitor the situation closely, and more preventive steps will be taken as needed to ensure containment of the virus and restore normalcy in the region.