Kottayam: The district administration has taken a slew of measures to prevent the outbreak of bird flu, including culling of ducks and medical checkups of the public in some selected areas.
District collector Ajith Kumar told Deccan Chronicle that though bird flu was not officially confirmed in the district, the administration was acting to prevent any outbreak.
The culling of ducks will begin in the vulnerable Ayamanam panchayat on Wednesday morning.
A review meeting of the various departments was held at the collectorate on Tuesday evening. “We have banned the sale and transfer of poultry products from the panchayats, including Aymanam, Thalayazham, Aarpookara, Vechoor and Kumarakom.
Medicines have been made available and medical checkups will be conducted in these panchayats,” Mr Ajith Kumar added. A control room has been opened in the district.
The additional district magistrate will coordinate the preventive activities. A rapid action force was formed comprising people’s representatives, panchayat secretaries and other government officials.
Mr Ajith Kumar said that all private hospitals in the district, district hospital and the medical college had been instructed to admit the patients for treatment in case of any outbreak.
