The Centre on Sunday confirmed bird flu or Avian Influenza outbreak in seven states Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, while test results were awaited for Delhi and Maharashtra samples.
Now Maharashtra has become the eighth state to confirm bird flu amid nationwide efforts to contain the spread.
"Parbhani is the epicenter. About 800 poultry birds - all hens - died in the last two days. Their samples were given for testing. And now it is confirmed that the reason is bird flu," Deepak Madhukar Muglikar, said District Collector Munglikar. Parbhani is about 500 km from Maharashtra capital Mumbai.
"Three days ago, 800 chickens in Murumba village died due to bird flu. District administration had sent blood samples of dead chickens to National Laboratory. Reports confirm that the chickens died of bird flu," said Deepak Mughlikar, District Collector, Parbhani.
"It has been confirmed in Murumba village. There are about eight poultry farms and 8,000 birds. We have given orders of culling those poultry birds," he added.