Odisha has reported the first human case of bird flu in Puri district after the detection of Avian Influenza, prompting government agencies to carry out culling of 25,000 chickens in the affected pockets.

The government has received a report of a human case of bird flu detected at Mangalpur Community Health Centre in Puri district. The chickens afflicted with bird flu were found dead in poultry farms in the Pipli and Satyabadi blocks of the Puri district. To stop the possible spread of the disease from birds to humans, 13 Rapid Response teams (RRTs) have been formed to carry out the culling operation within a one-km radius of the infected site. So far, over 25,000 chickens have been culled in a preventive measure, Health Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling said.

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To tackle the situation, the health and animal husbandry departments have intensified monitoring. Surveillance is in full swing in the Pipili and Satyabadi blocks of Puri district, where the H5N1 outbreak has been reported.

The primary surveillance zone and secondary layer of surveillance have been constituted within a 1 km radius and 1 km to 10 km radius, respectively. The health department has swung into action by pressing into service ASHA workers for door-to-door awareness campaigns and distribution of Tamiflu medicine as and when required. Besides, as part of the containment strategy, N95 masks are also being distributed in the affected areas.

The movement of poultry birds and poultry products to and from the infected areas has been prohibited as a measure to control and contain the disease. The government has launched an awareness campaign to educate people about the disease and precautionary measures, an official said, adding that the spread of the virus affecting humans is extremely rare.

The health authorities have been directed to maintain close coordination with other departments for the collection of early warning reports of unexplained bird deaths, concluded the official.