Mysuru; A day after Kerala declared the outbreak of bird flu (H5N8) in Kottayam and Alappuzha Districts as a State disaster, the Mysuru District Administration has banned transportation of poultry and other birds to Kerala from Mysuru and from Kerala to Mysuru through the Bavali checkpost in H.D. Kote taluk as a precautionary measure.

The orders were passed by Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri last evening following Animal Husbandry Department issuing a general alert to all Deputy Commissioners of Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. Even the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has issued an alert. 

Poultry from Mysuru is regularly transported to Kerala through trucks via the Bavali checkpost as many hotels, especially in the neighbouring State’s border districts depend on poultry farms of Mysuru for chicken products. Hundreds of chicken and poultry products are sent from Mysuru to Kerala every day.  

The DC’s order says that vehicles passing through Bavali would be sanitised before they enter Mysuru district and officials from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences are increasing surveillance.

Officials have been asked to be keep vigil on sick birds and unnatural bird deaths. Public are also requested to inform the Department if they come across any sick or dead bird. Taluk-level officials have been alerted on the steps to be taken by them in any eventuality. They have been told to monitor vehicles transporting poultry birds and poultry products.

The State Government has issued specific guidelines based on the protocols given by the Centre. They include points on personal safety, including wearing of protective gear, disinfecting the surfaces and administration of the antiviral drugs Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or Zanamivir (Relenza) if symptoms upon experiencing symptoms. It also specifies the way to handle birds, including the wild and migratory birds, besides poultry.

Alert in Kodagu

The Kodagu District Administration has issued directions to establish checkposts in the border areas of Kutta, Makutta and Karike that borders Kerala. This is to screen poultry birds and products arriving from the neighbouring State.

Each check post will have a senior veterinary doctor, a veterinary inspector and a D-group employee to inspect the trucks transporting poultry. Officials from forest, Police and transport would assist the authorities at checkposts. 

Officials of the Department of Animal Husbandry are on high alert on the movement of vehicles laden with poultry. Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said in Madikeri yesterday that that all poultry-carrying vehicles arriving from Kerala would be sanitised before their entry into the district. Kodagu does not have poultry farms with more than thousand birds in them, the DC informed. She told the people of Kodagu not to heed rumours.