Central teams deputed to assist Jharkhand govt to control bird flu spread

The government on Thursday said two separate central teams have been deputed to assist the Jharkhand government to prevent the spread of bird flu in the state. The Jharkhand government has been on alert after bird flu cases have been reported in a state-run poultry farm in Bokaro district.

A two-member central team from Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has been deputed to assist the state in the control and containment operations, an official statement said.

The Union Health Ministry has also deputed a separate central team for overview of the surveillance in humans.


The Jharkhand government has been advised to carry out the control and containment operations as per the Action Plan for Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza (2021).

The state government has been asked to maintain sufficient stock of PPE kits and other accessories required for culling operations. It has also been requested to coordinate with the health and forest departments and sensitise them about avian influenza.

Besides, the state government has also been asked to submit a daily report to the central government on the control measures taken by them.

Even the West Bengal government has also been advised to take effective control measures to prevent the spread of the disease to other parts, the statement added.

The central government officials from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying are in constant interaction with the state government officials.

The presence of H5N1, a type of avian influenza A virus that causes disease in birds, was last reported in Godda district of Jharkhand during January 2019.