Bird Flu Outbreak: Public Entry Restricted At Red Fort Till Jan 26 After Dead Crow Tests Positive

A few days ago, 15 crows were found dead in the Red Fort premises. After that, a sample from one of them was sent to a Jalandhar-based laboratory for testing.

New Delhi: After a sample of a dead crow near Red Fort tested positive for Bird flu, the entry of public into the monument has been restricted as per new orders on Tuesday. 

A few days ago, 15 crows were found dead in the Red Fort premises. Rakesh Singh, the director of the Delhi government's animal husbandry department informed that a sample from one of them was sent to a Jalandhar-based laboratory for testing.

After the results came in positive, the entry of people has been restricted till 26 January as a precautionary measure.

Test results of a dead owl at the National Zoological Park were confirmed to be positive for avian influenza on Saturday, making it the first case of Bird Flu at the zoo.

Delhi imposed a complete ban on the sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city after testing samples of crows and ducks confirmed bird flu cases last week.

The states with confirmed cases of Bird Flu are Maharashtra, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

States have been asked to build awareness among the public and avoid the spread of misinformation. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying wrote in a statement, "States/ UTs have been requested to increase surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos, poultry farms, etc. along with proper disposal of carcass, and strengthening of biosecurity in poultry farms".

Officials have tried to allay fears of those consuming poultry products, saying there is no risk of infection from fully cooked chicken, or boiled and cooked eggs as the virus cannot withstand high temperatures.

(With Agency Inputs)