COIMBATORE: The mysterious death of over 13 egrets and storks near Rasipuram in Namakkal district has triggered fears of a possible bird flu outbreak, prompting swift action from authorities.
Villagers discovered the birds lying dead beneath a banyan tree in Muthukaalipatti village on Monday and immediately alerted officials from the Forest, Animal Husbandry and Health Departments.
Responding to the alert, a team from the Poultry Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, along with officials from other departments, rushed to the spot. The carcasses were examined to ascertain whether the deaths were caused by avian influenza or any other factor.
Visceral samples were collected and sent to a research laboratory in Bengaluru for detailed analysis. As a precautionary measure, bleaching powder was sprayed in and around the area to prevent any potential spread of infection.
While sporadic incidents of crows being found dead have been reported in the past, officials noted that this is perhaps the first instance of egrets and storks dying in such numbers at a single location in the district.
Authorities have urged the public not to panic, assuring that necessary preventive measures are in place and that the cause of sudden deaths will be known once test results are received.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the recent bird flu outbreak in neighbouring Kerala, surveillance has already been intensified across poultry farms in Namakkal district, one of the state’s key poultry hubs.
“Poultry farms are being disinfected regularly, and strict hygiene protocols are being followed to prevent any outbreak. All fodder-laden vehicles entering farms are sprayed with disinfectants,” said R. Venkatachalam, a poultry farmer in Namakkal. Officials also stated that vehicles entering Tamil Nadu from Kerala are being permitted only after mandatory disinfection, as part of strengthened biosecurity measures.