Bird Flu Hits Kerala Farms as India Reports 11 H5N1 Outbreaks

India has reported 11 outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu on poultry farms in the southern state of Kerala, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Monday. The outbreaks were detected last month, marking the first reported cases among poultry in the country since May.

According to WOAH, the H5N1 virus led to the deaths of around 54,100 birds, most of them ducks. In addition, more than 30,000 birds were culled as a precautionary measure to prevent further spread of the disease, which has devastated poultry populations worldwide in recent years.

The spread of avian influenza has raised global concerns due to its impact on food supply, rising poultry prices and the potential risk of transmission to humans. Authorities in India confirmed the outbreaks on December 22, after cases were first detected from December 9, prompting renewed monitoring and containment efforts.

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