Nellore Poultry Farms Hit by Avian Influenza, Chicken Shops Closed, Movement Restricted

Authorities in Nellore district have confirmed the presence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in poultry farms located in Chagatla and Gummalladibba, situated in Podalakuru and Kovur mandals of the district. In response, a meeting was convened to discuss preventive measures. The poultry industry in Nellore, established in 1978, is primarily concentrated in areas like Buchireddypalem, Venkatachalam, Kovur, Patur, Kothur, Narukur, Allipuram, Venkatachalam, and Kothur.

Samples tested by the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, confirmed the virus's presence. As a containment measure, officials have ordered the closure of chicken shops for three days within a ten-kilometer radius and for three months within a one-kilometer radius of the affected areas. There is also a 15-day restriction on the movement of chickens out of the infected area, and new chickens are not allowed to be brought in from other areas.