Bengaluru: The Karnataka Health Department has issued a high alert after cases of bird flu (H5N1 avian influenza) were confirmed in Bellary, Chikkaballapur, and Raichur districts, officials said on Friday.
The virus was detected in chickens in Manvi taluk (Raichur), Chikkaballapur taluk, and Sandur taluk (Bellary), leading to several poultry deaths. However, no human infections have been reported so far.
Samples from the affected birds were sent to the Central Laboratory in Bhopal, where tests confirmed avian influenza, a senior health official told PTI.
As a containment measure, the Animal Husbandry Department has ordered the mass culling of chickens within a 3 km radius of the affected areas. Hospitals near the affected regions have been equipped with isolation beds, and surveillance efforts have been intensified.
Authorities have assured the public that all necessary precautions are in place and urged them not to panic.