Indore (MP):
Nearly 450 chickens were culled in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore city in the last 24 hours to prevent the spread of bird flu, a civic official said on Friday evening.
The Madhya Pradesh government has already ordered closure of poultry shops in Neemuch and Indore districts for a week after bird flu infection was found in some chickens.
“Nearly 450 poultry birds were culled and buried as per guidelines. We have also shut chicken shops in the city,” municipal health officer Uttam Yadav said.
Transportation and trade of poultry have been suspended in the entire city for a week, he said.
Bird deaths continued to be reported in the city during the day.
“At least 19 crows, three herons and a cuckoo were found dead in the city on Friday,” said Pramod Sharma, deputy director of Indore Veterinary Services.
As many as 250 birds, mostly crows, have been found dead in the city in the last 11 days, the official said.
Bird flu was first detected in samples of two out of 50 crows whose carcasses were found in the city’s Residency area on December 29.
The Centre earlier in the day said bird flu has been confirmed so far in Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat.