Jharkhand: Bird flu spreads to Bokaro after Ranchi outbreak

A bird flu outbreak has been reported in Jharkhand's Bokaro district, roughly a month after the disease led to the culling of 5,500 birds in Ranchi, an official said on Sunday.

The outbreak, caused by the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, was officially confirmed on March 7, when the Centre issued a letter to the chief secretary of Jharkhand, he said.

The outbreak was traced to a government poultry farm in Bokaro's Sector 12, where around 250 birds have already died.

The Bokaro administration on Saturday culled 46 birds and destroyed 506 eggs after the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying asked the state to take all measures to contain the spread of bird flu, including declaration of infected and surveillance areas, restricting access to the affected premises and culling of birds.

The area within the 1-km radius of the epicentre has been declared as an affected zone and birds within the area will be culled, he said.