Bird flu outbreak confirmed in parts of Alappuzha, Kottayam
The confirmation of avian influenza in some parts of Kerala’s Alappuzha and Kottayam districts has put poultry farmers in a stress especially when Christmas and New Year season is round the corner.
The officials of Animal Husbandry have confirmed the presence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus based on the tests conducted at the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal. The infection has been confirmed in one ward each of eight panchayats in Alappuzha and in four villages in Kottayam.
The cases in Alappuzha have been reported from the panchayats of Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Ambalappuzha South, Punnapra South, Thakazhi and Purakkad. Chickens were found to be infected in Nedumudi, while ducks were affected in the remaining areas.
In Kottayam, the disease has been detected in the villages of Kuruppanthara, Manjoor, Kallupurakkal and Velur. Quails and chickens were among the birds found to be infected.
J.Chinchurani, Animal Husbandry Minister said cases of avian flu has come to the notice a week ago, prompting the authorities to collect samples and send to central laboratory in Bhopal. The department is assessing the outbreak’s intensity. However, no restriction has been imposed on the consumption of poultry meat so far.
The assessment is that avian flu spread through migratory birds. There were similar outbreaks last year as well in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts, the Minister said.
T.P.Sethumadhavan, former director of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University said at a time when farmers are struggling to attrain break even costs, the issues will affect broiler chicken producers esepcially when the consumption of poultry meat is increasing for Christmas and New Year sesaon. Kerala used to consume 10 million kg of chicken per week. During the last five 5 years bird flu affected sustainable duck production in the Kuttanad area in Kerala.
However, the broiler industry is not worried over the developments saying that the business will be affected only in a particular region that too for a shorter period.
Meanwhile the authorities have been tasked with monitoring the situation in local bodies surrounding the affected areas.Preventive measures, including culling of birds, will be done as per the revised guidelines of the Central government issued in 2021, the officials said.
A ban on the movement of poultry, including ducks, chicken, quail and other domestic bird, too will be declared in the 10-km radius of the affected areas.
Unlike modern poultry farming methods, which rear birds indoors, duck farmers in Kuttanad continue to rear ducks in the open, making the birds vulnerable to diseases such as avian influenza, officials added.
e.o.m.
Published on December 23, 2025
