Avian flu: 8,303 birds culled at Karuvatta in Alappuzha

Rapid response teams of the Animal Husbandry department on Tuesday culled 8,303 birds, mostly ducks, within a 1-km radius of bird flu-hit (H5N1) Karamuttu at Karuvatta grama panchayat in Alappuzha. Officials said the carcasses of culled birds had been burned as per the standard operating procedure. A five-member Central team visited avian flu-affected areas in Alappuzha and held discussions with Animal Husbandry department officials on the day. Bird flu outbreak has been detected in three local bodies in Alappuzha. Avian flu was first confirmed in ducks at Vazhuthanam in Haripad municipality on October 26. Later, the outbreak was detected at Cheruthana on November 4.