Quarantine Measures Implemented Amid Bird Flu Outbreak in Ranchi, Jharkhand

In response to a bird flu outbreak in Ranchi, two doctors and six staff members of the Regional Poultry Farm in Hotwar have been placed under quarantine at the JSIA building in Ranchi, authorities confirmed.

The JSIA government building has been repurposed into a bird flu ward, with medical experts from Ranchi collecting samples from infected individuals.

Following the confirmation of the bird flu outbreak, the Ministry of Animal Husbandry has enacted a series of measures, including a complete ban on the sale and purchase of all birds and conducting extensive surveys in the affected areas.

Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha elaborated on the actions taken, stating, “As soon as bird flu was confirmed, a series of actions took place under the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Animal Husbandry. The first step involved a total ban on the sale and purchase of all birds within a one-kilometre radius of the epicentre.”

He further added, “Surveys of all birds in the region are also being conducted, with various district authorities mobilized to contain the spread of the bird flu. The District Animal Husbandry Office, Municipal Corporation, Police, and Magistrate have formed a rapid response team.”

Additionally, advisories have been issued in local newspapers, and stringent precautionary measures are being enforced in the affected region.

The Animal Husbandry Directorate, Ranchi, has established a Rapid Response Team (RRT) tasked with culling poultry and disinfecting infected areas in the Hotwa poultry area, where the outbreak was detected.

Dr Santosh Kumar, a meat technologist at the Regional Poultry Farm, outlined the disposal measures, stating, “Within a one-kilometre radius, all chickens and eggs will be disposed of. Farmers and shopkeepers are being instructed to refrain from bringing in outside poultry until we receive a negative report.”

Under the directives of the District Collector, approximately 1745 chickens, 450 ducks, and 1697 eggs have been disposed of as a precautionary measure.

H5N1, or Highly Pathogenic Asian Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus, primarily infects birds but can also be transmitted to humans. Close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments is the main mode of transmission. Authorities are actively working to contain the outbreak and mitigate its impact on both poultry and human populations.