Assam State Zoo bans poultry meat amid bird flu outbreak

The Assam State Zoo on Friday banned the import of poultry meat as a precautionary measure after several states across the country reported outbreaks of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in poultry, crows, and migratory birds, commonly known as bird flu.

Confirmed cases of bird flu have been reported from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala including other states.

Although bird flu has not been reported in Assam, as a precautionary measure, the Zoo authorities have stopped serving poultry meat. The authorities have increased the monitoring in the premises for any kind of symptoms.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has already alerted all the states and has asked them to take measures against the bird flu outbreak.

It is to be mentioned that Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Punjab stepped up surveillance and formed guidelines following the outbreak of the viral infection in neighboring states.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has also set up a control room in New Delhi to keep watch on the situation and to take stock on a daily basis of preventive and control measures undertaken by the state authorities.