Tamil Nadu issues avian flu alert amid crow deaths, public urged to follow strict precautions

At the centre of these concerns is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as the Influenza A H5N1 virus.

With Chennai and the wider state of Tamil Nadu facing a heightened avian influenza (bird flu) alert, the Tamil Nadu Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries on Thursday issued a detailed advisory prescribing precautionary and biosecurity measures to prevent the disease among poultry and wild birds.

The department specifically cautioned slaughterhouse workers and individuals handling sick or dead birds to exercise extreme care. Members of the public were urged to promptly inform the animal husbandry department if any unusual bird deaths are noticed.

Meanwhile, the animal husbandry department has instructed officials to intensify surveillance to detect abnormal sickness or mortality among crows, other wild birds and poultry. Veterinary staff have been directed not to conduct post-mortem examinations of dead birds in the field and instead send carcasses to designated Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratories.

As per the advisory, dead birds must be either incinerated or buried deep to prevent scavenging and further spread of infection. The department also stressed that the public should not touch dead birds with bare hands and must use gloves, followed by thorough handwashing, if handling is unavoidable.

Meanwhile, the Union government has asked the Tamil Nadu administration to intensify surveillance, biosecurity and disease-control measures to prevent further spread among wild birds, domestic poultry and, in rare instances, humans.