SRINAGAR: Dispelling the concerns of the masses regarding bird flu here, the Joint Director, Animal Husbandry, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad, has confirmed that the samples sent for the confirmation of ‘bird-flu’ in poultry products have turned out to be ‘negative’.
He said since there was no report of the outbreak of bird-flu in poultry products in Jammu and Kashmir thus far, there was, therefore, no harm in consuming chicken, if cooked properly.
Dr Mushtaq, however, appealed people to follow SOPs including hand washing and wearing face masks properly while handling poultry products and appealed them to inform the concerned authorities immediately if excessive mortality is found in any nearby poultry farm.
“The samples we had sent for testing to Jalandhar and Jodhpur labs have turned out to be negative. There is no report of the outbreak of bird-flu in poultry products in Jammu and Kashmir hence people need not to panic at all,” he told reporters.
He however confirmed that crows and migratory birds at few places in Kashmir including Rawalpora in Srinagar, Sopore in north Kashmir and south Kashmir’s Anantnag districts have tested positive for bird-flu.
Dr Mushtaq said that an alert has been sounded in affected areas while medical and wildlife teams were instantly sent to collect samples for necessary testing.
“Yes crows and migratory birds were found dead in Rawalpora in uptown Srinagar, Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district and South Kashmir’s Anantnag districts. We immediately sent our teams to the affected areas and samples were collected, which turned positive,” he added.
He said an advisory was issued to the people living in affected areas as soon as the lab tests of dead crows and migratory birds were tested positive for bird-flu.
