Bird Flu scare: Consumption of eggs, chicken is safe, assures Animal Husbandry minister Sunil Kedar

The Maharashtra government on Thursday said that samples of carcasses of bird have tested negative for bird flu or Avian Influenza and that people can consume chicken or eggs without fear.

Maharashtra Minister for Animal Husbandry Sunil Kedar said, "We are on alert as avian influenza has caused deaths of hundreds of birds in states of Kerala, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Around 10-12 birds had died in Thane, samples of carcasses have tested negative for bird flu."

“There is no bird flu in Maharashtra at present,” said the minister. The assurance from the minister came after 10-12 birds had died in Thane on Wednesday.

“For advanced (RT-PCR) test, the pathology samples of the birds found dead in Thane have been sent to the animal disease investigation lab at Pune,” said Anoop Kumar, Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry department.

“Given the rising cases of avian flu in the country, the Maharashtra government is on maximum alert. There is no reason to be scared. Consumption of eggs and chicken is safe,” Kumar added.

“As Maharashtra shares borders with some of the states where the Avian Influenza cases have been confirmed, we have asked district authorities to keep a strict vigil and issued a red alert in the state,” said the minister.

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, India has reported the emergence of bird flu since last week. The presence of the virus is confirmed in the dead birds in Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh while Rajasthan and Gujarat, too, have a strong suspicion of avian influenza in dead birds.