Deadly Newcastle Virus Kills 22 Peacocks In Gurugram

After the death of 22 peacocks in Bhondsi over the past 15 days, the authorities have confirmed the outbreak of Virulent Newcastle Disease (VND) among peacocks in the city. A test report released by Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, on Friday showed the presence of the virus in the infected birds.

The district forest department (wildlife) has set up a temporary medical facility for the infected peacocks in Bhondsi. A TOI team visited the facility on Friday and found 50 peacocks undergoing treatment there.

Reuters/Representational Image

While one peacock at the facility has lost vision in one eye, two have twisted necks. Another peacock was attacked by a dog after falling from a tree and has been left severely injured. Currently, doctors are administering vitamins and electrolytes to the infected peacocks.

¡°We got a report today (Friday) that Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, has found VND in the samples collected from the infected peacocks. We have already written to the senior officials to issue an advisory regarding the same. We are also in the process of getting the medicines that can help to treat the birds. The infected birds will be kept under observation,¡± said Shyam Sunder, district forest officer (wildlife), Gurugram.

The cases have been reported from three villages, Bhondsi, Akhlimpur and Tikli, in the city.

BCCL/Representational Image

¡°Most peacocks have symptoms such as twisted head and neck, swelling around eyes, stiffness in body and clouded vision. While earlier the peacocks were being treated and released in the wild, from now on all the infected birds will be kept under observation,¡± said Anil Gandas, a wildlife enthusiast, who has been taking the infected peacocks to the authorities.

The Newcastle virus has hit NCR after a gap of six years. In 2012, at least 350 birds were infected by the virus but the outbreak was not in the city and no deaths were reported here. The cases were reported from other areas of NCR and Haryana.

According to sources, the disease may have been transmitted from some unchecked poultry farms in the area. ¡°We have reports that there are a few unregistered poultry farms and a chicken has also died in the area. While we don¡¯t know the exact cause, the disease generally spreads through poultry farms that don¡¯t follow biosecurity practices such as administering preventive vaccination to poultry,¡± said a source.

Listed as a notifiable disease under Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in the Animals Act, 2009, VND is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease that can affect birds and poultry. The virus is found in respiratory discharges and faeces of infected birds and causes severe sickness and deaths among them. The disease doesn¡¯t usually spread to humans but those living close to the infected birds for a long time might get mild conjunctivitis or fever-like symptoms.

BCCL/Representational Image

The first cases of peacock deaths were reported from Hathin and Nagpur villages in Faridabad on May 8 but tests could not confirm if those were VND cases as the samples were from dead peacocks.

On May 20, Bhondsi residents reported seeing peacocks falling from trees as their legs got twisted and they couldn¡¯t maintain balance. On May 28 and 29, a team from Indian Veterinary Research Institute collected samples from the infected peacocks and on May 29, the Bhondsi facility was set up.

The national bird is listed under schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.