Tue Dec 23 05:52:46 UTC 2025: News Article:

Avian Flu Outbreak Hits Kerala Poultry Farms Ahead of Holiday Season

KOTTAYAM, India – December 23, 2025 – A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has been confirmed in poultry in the Alappuzha and Kottayam districts of Kerala, delivering a significant blow to local farmers just before the Christmas and New Year holiday season.

The presence of the virus was confirmed by tests at the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal. The outbreak affects one ward each in eight panchayats in Alappuzha, specifically Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Ambalappuzha South, Punnapra South, Thakazhi and Purakkad where chickens and ducks have been affected. In Kottayam, the infection has been detected in the villages of Kuruppanthara, Manjoor, Kallupurakkal, and Velur, impacting quails and chickens.

Authorities from the Department of Animal Husbandry will hold an emergency meeting to initiate a mass culling of all domestic birds, including ducks, within a 1-kilometer radius of the confirmed infection sites. The preventive measures will follow the central government’s revised guidelines issued in 2021.

A ban on the movement of all poultry, including ducks, chicken, quail, and other domestic birds, will be enforced within a 10-kilometer radius of the affected areas. Officials are also tasked with monitoring the situation in surrounding local bodies.

Concerns are heightened as duck farmers in Kuttanad continue to raise ducks in open environments, making them particularly susceptible to diseases like avian influenza.

Read More