New Delhi/Bhopal: The death of 15 birds at the Gandhi Zoological Garden in Gwalior in the last three days has created panic among the authorities there even as the Centre issued on Friday necessary guidelines to state governments and zoo officials across the country for "control and containment" of bird flu, or avian influenza.
The guidelines were issued even though the virus strains in the bird flu cases at the Delhi and Gwalior zoos were found to be "less infectious", having no known case of impact on human.
The government also asked specialised institutions in Bhopal and Jalandhar to investigate the outbreak thoroughly to "determine the source of infection so that zoo authorities across the country can implement the suitable strategy to prevent the ingress of the disease to captive birds".
"Though dead birds in both Delhi and Gwalior incidents tested positive, it confirmed the strain of H5N8 avian influenza virus, which is not as `infective' as the H5N1 virus. No human infections with H5N8 have been established anywhere in the world till now. However, necessary precautions are to be undertaken...," said the animal husbandry department of Union agriculture ministry.
The National Zoological Park (NZP), New Delhi had reported mortality of nine birds, including five rosy pelicans, three ducks and one painted stork, between October 14 to 17. The Madhya Pradesh government also sounded an alert following the sudden death of 15 painted storks at its Gwalior zoo.
The guidelines were issued even though the virus strains in the bird flu cases at the Delhi and Gwalior zoos were found to be "less infectious", having no known case of impact on human.
The government also asked specialised institutions in Bhopal and Jalandhar to investigate the outbreak thoroughly to "determine the source of infection so that zoo authorities across the country can implement the suitable strategy to prevent the ingress of the disease to captive birds".
"Though dead birds in both Delhi and Gwalior incidents tested positive, it confirmed the strain of H5N8 avian influenza virus, which is not as `infective' as the H5N1 virus. No human infections with H5N8 have been established anywhere in the world till now. However, necessary precautions are to be undertaken...," said the animal husbandry department of Union agriculture ministry.
The National Zoological Park (NZP), New Delhi had reported mortality of nine birds, including five rosy pelicans, three ducks and one painted stork, between October 14 to 17. The Madhya Pradesh government also sounded an alert following the sudden death of 15 painted storks at its Gwalior zoo.