Six more birds died at the now shut Deer Park in Delhi on Friday, taking the total reported death count of migratory birds in the capital due to bird flu to 24.
The central lab in Bhopal meanwhile confirmed that the virus strain found in the initial sample of birds was H5N8, which does not pose as much risk to humans as H5N1, Delhi Animal Husbandry Minister Gopal Rai said.
A sample of eight birds was first sent to the regional lab in Jalandhar and later to the central lab in Bhopal. The initial reports said H5 virus was found in three of the birds.
The Delhi government received the final report on Thursday evening.
The H5N1 is the most dangerous strain, which we were fearing... But the final report has concluded that it is H5N8 virus.Gopal Rai, Delhi Rural Development Minister
Also Read: Delhi Zoo Shut After Ducks Die of Bird Flu
"We talked to medical experts and they said that while H5N1 has been found to infect humans, no such reports have come regarding H5N8. So people of Delhi need not panic," the minister added.
Rai's remarks came after he held a meeting with experts from Bhopal and Bareily central labs.
Earlier, Rai visited the Ghazipur poultry market to take stock of the situation.
Rai said that no indication of avian virus infection had been found in the 2.2 lakh chickens that arrived in the market since morning.
However, as a precaution, it has been made mandatory for trucks entering the market to have medical certificate from Saturday.
"The vehicle owners will have to get a certificate about the medical fitness of the poultry they carry to the Ghazipur market from the place of origin," Rai said.
While we will let them off with a warning on Saturday, but from Sunday onward these vehicles will not be allowed to enter the market without the certificate.Gopal Rai, Delhi Rural Development Minister
Rai has also set up a 15-member monitoring committee to enforce these measures at the market.
On Thursday, the Delhi government had set up a 23-member committee to coordinate work among various departments and to probe the reasons behind the bird deaths since last week.
"Also, we have decided to build a medicated subway at the entry gate in the market which will have medicines mixed with water. Every truck entering the market will have to pass through this water which will help in preventing the infection from spreading," Rai said.
On Thursday, the government had taken 50 samples from birds in the zoo, various bird sanctuaries and poultry markets in the city and sent them to labs for analysis.
Both the Delhi zoo and the Deer Park will remain shut until normalcy returns.
The first deaths of two migratory birds were reported on 14 October in the Delhi Zoo, where six more birds were found dead the next day. One more bird each died on 17 and 19 October. On Thurday, eight more birds had died in the city.
Though the said virus doesn’t affect humans, in a case of gross negligence, officials of the Delhi Zoo are suspected to have come in contact with the virus while removing the dead carcass of the birds, reported DNA.
This accounts to violation of laws on the part of the zoo officials. They are supposed to wear proper equipment while dealing with the carcasses of infected birds. The Avian influenza could be deadly for humans if they come in direct contact with it.
DNA has also reported that minister Gopal Rai said that all the zoo staff members have been kept under observation.
“We have established a medical centre at the Delhi zoo, and all the staff members are being medicated at regular intervals. Our teams are also observing them regularly at the medical centre,” said Rai, reported DNA.
On the other hand, Avian deaths in the national capital on Saturday climbed to over 40 with 17 ducks being found dead at Hauz Khas deer park even as the Centre formed a three-member committee to keep a close watch on the bird flu situation.
In wake of the fresh deaths, Development Minister Gopal Rai will visit the deer park on Sunday.
(With inputs from PTI and DNA)
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