There has been a surge in fear of a bird flu outbreak in the Tumakuru district of Karnataka after over 54 peacocks were found dead in the past month. Local people have recently been terrorised by the death of the national bird following this mysterious tally, and the Animal Husbandry Department at this stage is on high alert in the area.
Just a couple of days ago, the deaths of 44 peacocks followed by nearly 30 chickens were confirmed in separate incidents. Then the lab discovered that deaths of peacocks were due to bird flu, fueling public anxiety about the trans-regional spread, or lack of it, of bird flu.
Officials now claim more peacock deaths are occurring, making the public feel anxious. The ongoing deaths of peacocks across Tumakuru taluk are alarming as they risk spreading infection to neighbouring areas. A rise in the number of unexplained deaths of peacocks over the past 30 days was also reported by the district.
What were once considered strictly unconnected animal and wildlife deaths now pose a major threat to the health of animals. But now a peacock that has died is confirmed to be found in Kunigal, officials said, which suggests infection has spread outside Tumakuru town.
They are also worried that the virus could spread more widely if no strong steps are taken by the authorities immediately. Experts from the veterinary department, plus animal researchers in the field, had been sent in to observe the movements of those birds and to alert authorities to unusual bird or wildlife deaths. Surveillance is being mounted in at-risk areas, namely around poultry farms, forest areas, lakes and bird feeding grounds.
But, if more peacocks die in Kunigal or the surrounding areas, new samples will be sent to the laboratory in order to undergo immediate testing to confirm if bird flu is spreading further through the district. There has been some respite from deaths at a poultry farm in the Bommanahalli village in Tumakuru taluk.
At the same time, though, around 30 chickens died early this week at the farm, provoking fears among villagers and poultry farmers of the risk of bird flu. Veterinary personnel rushed to obtain samples of the dead chickens and sent them off for laboratory analysis. By recent accounts, the chickens have now been confirmed not to have died of bird flu, and avian influenza is negative in the results.
The negative report has brought brief relief to poultry farm owners and to the public, that has worried that a lethal outbreak is consuming domestic birds and the poultry industry. Officials are being cautious, though, as the cause of the peacock deaths remains deeply concerning.
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is an infectious pathogen that mostly spreads through birds but can be transmitted from wild to domestic birds, experts say. While a massive outbreak continues, authorities limit movement, ramp up surveillance and step up sanitisation to limit the spread further, authorities said.
Regular deaths of peacocks also raise environmental worries. Peacocks are a protected wildlife species and therefore of ecological significance in this region. District officials have told the public not to touch dead birds and should contact the local veterinary or forest personnel immediately if they see signs of abnormal dead birds.
Individuals in the region are even advised not to spread rumours, the officials said, and to keep track of official updates. In response to a growing concern regarding bird flu in Tumakuru this month, Tumakuru officials are now focused on containment, testing and monitoring to stop the disease from spreading to much bigger outbreaks.
