The Centre has asked state governments not to shut down poultry markets or restrict sales of eggs or broiler chicken meat in the wake of the avian influenza outbreak that has affected 10 States so far.
There is no need to panic as there have never been any cases of bird flu being transmitted to humans in India, and there is no danger of such transmission if the meat is properly cooked, Animal Husbandry Minister Giriraj Singh told reporters.?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the virus will be destroyed if poultry products are cooked at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius or above.?
Asserting that unfounded rumours about poultry products could have a cascading impact on the rural economy, the minister appealed to States not to take such drastic action without any scientific evidence.?
There is further no proof to suggest that restricting inter and intra-state movement of poultry products was necessary to curb the spread of the disease, Singh stressed. Therefore, he appealed to states not to take such drastic measures without any scientific evidence.
The minister specifically appealed to the Delhi government to reconsider its decision to shut Ghazipur mandi, Asia¡¯s largest wholesale market for chicken, and said he had written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the issue.?
The bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh as of January 12. The latest cases were reported from Dehradun and Kotdwar in Uttarakhand on Tuesday, ANI reported.?
While H5N1 poses no apparent threat to humans, its highly pathogenic strains can be deadly to domestic poultry and sometimes, wild birds. This has had a devastating impact on poultry industry as authorities introduced restrictions to contain the spread of the contagion. Since last Wednesday, prices of broiler chicken have crashed from around Rs 82 to Rs 58 per kg in Maharashtra, Rs 94 to Rs 65 in Gujarat, and Rs 80 to Rs 70 in Tamil Nadu, according to The Indian Express.?
Singh noted that maize, which was selling at Rs 1,800/quintal has now dropped to Rs 1,100/quintal. Maize is used as feedstock for the poultry industry. In March, the sector already took a major hit from false rumours that COVID-19 could be spread by meat consumption, added the Minister.?
Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Monday issued guidelines on reporting the death of birds and the safe disposal of their remains, after samples from two crows tested positive for the bird flu, reported PTI. The civic body also appealed to citizens to contact its helpline number 1916, if they notice any bird deaths.?
As per the directives under ¡°Avian influenza action plan to control and prevent revised guidelines 2021¡¯¡¯, the dead birds have to be disposed of by burying them in a pit. ¡°Also, it is necessary to use an adequate amount of limestone to bury them and ensure other animals do not dig it again,¡± the civic body said.The BMC also asked the Veer Jijamata Udyan in Byculla area of south Mumbai to follow guidelines issued by the Central Zoo Authority to contain the bird flu.