Tamil Nadu steps up surveillance along Kerala border amid rising bird flu cases
Chennai: With avian influenza cases rising in parts of Kerala, including Alappuzha and Kottayam, authorities in Tamil Nadu have increased surveillance in border districts to prevent the disease from spreading into the state.
Surveillance has been particularly heightened in the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts, which share a long and open border with Kerala.
On the instructions of the Animal Husbandry Department, special preventive measures have been initiated under the supervision of Joint Director Dr. Balakrishnan. As part of these efforts, checkpoints have been set up in Gudalur and Panthalur taluks of the Nilgiris district to closely monitor the movement of poultry and related goods from Kerala.
Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya said that as a precautionary measure, the transportation of live poultry, eggs, poultry waste, and other related products from Kerala to the district has been temporarily suspended.
This decision was taken in view of the increasing cases of bird flu in neighboring districts of Kerala and the risk of its spread to Tamil Nadu.
To ensure strict compliance, special surveillance teams have been deployed at eight checkpoints on the Kerala border and one on the Karnataka border. Each team consists of a veterinary assistant, a veterinary inspector, and a livestock maintenance assistant, working in coordination with the police, forest, and revenue departments.
Officials have warned that avian influenza not only affects domestic poultry such as chicken, duck, and turkey, but can also spread through wild and migratory birds. There is a risk of transmission to humans, making early detection and prevention crucial.
Officials have advised poultry farmers to strictly adhere to biosecurity measures. Farmers have been instructed to prevent wild birds from entering poultry farms, avoid keeping different types of birds together, restrict access to outsiders and vehicles on farm premises, and avoid sharing farming equipment.
Disinfecting farm tools and equipment at least twice a month has been mandated. Farmers have also been asked to immediately report any unusual illness or sudden death in birds to the nearest veterinary assistant or animal husbandry office so that prompt preventive measures can be taken to prevent the spread of avian influenza.
