India's Maharashtra on High Alert as Bird Flu Kills Hundreds of Avians

The birds affected by avian influenza show symptoms such as tremors, diarrhoea, head tilt, and paralysis. H5N1, a highly contagious virus, is usually what kills the birds.

The Indian state of Maharashtra is on high alert after it was confirmed that birds in Thane District have died of the H5N1 virus, more commonly known as bird flu or avian influenza.

Earlier this week, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) confirmed an outbreak of the H5N1 virus at a poultry research farm in India's central state of Bihar.

"The farm reported the mortality on 10 February, following which samples were collected and assessed by the ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases, which confirmed on Thursday that the poultry birds were infected with the virus," Sachindra Pratap Singh, the Commissioner of Animal Husbandry in Maharashtra told the media.

Around 25,000 birds will be culled around the area, Singh added.

As per the Indian government's protocol, all birds and eggs have to be destroyed within a radius of 1 km of the affected area.

"Authorities is on alert, and we are taking measures to contain the spread are in place, Singh said, urging citizens not to panic or become stressed.

In Bihar, avian influenza killed 787 out of 3,859 birds on the farm in Patna District, and all of the remaining birds were culled, the Paris-based OIE said, citing a report from Indian authorities.