Image by Mabel Amber from Pixabay

Mangaluru: As many as six crows were found in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka days after cases of avian flu or bird flu were reported in the neighbouring states of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

Samples from these crows have been sent for testing to check for the presence of avian influenza or bird flu (H5N8).

Meanwhile, districts along the state’s borders like Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Kodagu, and Udupi are on high alert. The Dakshina Kannada district administration even placed a ban on the import of poultry products from Kerala.

Karnataka health minister Dr K Sudhakar said that there is no need to panic, but advised that precautions must be observed to prevent the spread of the virus.

Speaking to the media, the minister said, “Six crows in the Dakshina Kannada district have died and their samples have been sent for testing.”

He added that precautionary measures have been taken in the border districts to prevent the spread of the virus and that the people should not spread panic as lakhs of students are attending schools. “The government has taken all the safety measures,” he assured.

Meanwhile, the Centre has identified 12 epicentres of the bird flu across the country. Cases have been reported from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, apart from Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.