Bird Flu: Delhi Civic Bodies Lift Ban on Sale, Storage of Poultry

Avian influenza has not been detected in poultry birds in Delhi, the Animal Husbandry Unit said on Thursday.

(Photo: PTI)

Within 24 hours of the ban that Delhi’s civic bodies had placed on the sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat in the light of a bird flu scare, it was lifted, news agency PTI reported.

This happened after samples that were taken from various markets tested negative for bird flu on 14 January.

According to the report, the decision was taken at a online meeting attended by Union Minister Giriraj Singh, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, along with the mayors and commissioners of the three municipal corporations.

"As the Delhi government has lifted its ban on trade and import of chicken meat and decided to open the poultry market, it was decided that all the three civic bodies will also lift the restrictions imposed yesterday in view of the bird flu situation here," East Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Nirmal Jain was quoted as saying.

Samples Tested From Poultry Markers Test Negative

A few hours before the ban was lifted, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, 14 January, took to Twitter to announce that the samples taken from poultry markets in the national capital have tested negative for bird flu and said that he has issued directives to reopen the markets.

He also asked to withdraw the orders to restrict trade and import of chicken.

(Screenshot)

Earlier, on Thursday, the Animal Husbandry Unit too said that Avian influenza has not been detected in poultry birds in Delhi.

All 100 samples taken from the Ghazipur chicken market, Asia’s largest, have tested negative for bird flu, the body said.

However, the four samples taken from Delhi’s Hastsal are suspected to be positive and have been sent to Bhopal, the department added, according to ANI.

When Sale, Storage of Chicken in Delhi Was Banned

In view of rising cases of bird flu, owners of restaurants and hotels had earlier been warned of action if egg-based dishes or poultry meat are served to customers.

“Eat only completely cooked eggs and poultry products cooked at 70 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Don’t consume half-cooked chicken or half-boiled and half-fried eggs,” an advisory issued by the Delhi government had said.

The first cases of bird flu in Delhi were confirmed on Monday after eight samples from dead crows and ducks tested positive for avian flu. Earlier, over 35 crows were found dead in Delhi, including 24 at a park in Jasola and 10 ducks at Sanjay Lake.

At least 10 states, including Delhi, have reported cases of bird flu so far, and thousands of birds across the country have been dying. The central government has set up a control room in Delhi to track and monitor the situation and to prevent the spread in humans.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)