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MANGALURU: The Dakshina Kannada district administration has put the border areas on alert in view of a bird flu outbreak in the neighbouring Kerala state.Department of Animal Husbandry deputy director Dr Arun Kumar Shetty said surveillance has been intensified at check posts at Jalsur in Sullia, Saradka in Bantwal and Talapady in Ullal to check the spread of the bird flu.“The bird fever affects humans who work in farms and meat processing units. Dakshina Kannada supplies chicken to Kasargod district in Kerala. We used to transport six loads of chicken daily which has now come down to two as production is low due to summer. Bird flu cases were reported in Alappuzha district in Kerala, which is 400 km away from Mangaluru. As of now there are no cases in the district. However, we are taking precautionary measures. The district administration has opened check-posts where surveillance on trucks entering the district after unloading chicken in Kerala is done on priority,” Shetty said.“Only when people panic, prices fall. If there is a shortage in local stock, we have suppliers from Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga,” said Philip D’souza, poultry farm owner from Kanyana.Shetty further told The New Sunday Express that they have issued an advisory to the farm owners to take precautions to prevent the spread of the flu. “Only labourers working in the poultry farm may be allowed to enter and do the work and sanitize their hands, legs and clothes and ensure chicken in the farm do not come under the contact of other birds and animals. Public should not unnecessarily visit the poultry farms. We have also directed the farm owners to inform the nearest veterinary doctors if there is any unnatural death of chicken. We have also directed vendors in meat shops to take adequate measures and our officials will also inspect markets and meat shops on a regular basis,” he added.
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Dakshina Kannada steps up surveillance at border areas
