The Director of the Animal Husbandry Department for Andhra Pradesh, Dr. T Damodara Naidu, announced that the department’s proactive measures to contain the spread of bird flu have been successful, yielding positive results across the state. He confirmed that the avian flu outbreak remains confined to only five villages across four districts, with no new cases reported. He clarified that there are no restrictions on the transportation of eggs and chicken, except in the five affected villages. Strict action will be taken against anyone obstructing poultry transport. For assistance, transporters and the public can report issues via the helpline numbers: 0866-2472543 and 9491168699.
Dr. Naidu assured that the virus has not spread to humans and emphasized that misinformation surrounding the outbreak has adversely impacted poultry farmers and those dependent on the industry. He noted that widespread rumors and media reports have led to misconceptions regarding the consumption of chicken and eggs, further affecting demand. To address these concerns, the Animal Husbandry Department, in collaboration with NGOs and other organizations, is launching an awareness campaign to dispel myths related to poultry consumption. He said veterinary doctors and health department officials have several times announced that there was no scope of spreading of the bird flu from birds to human beings and added that there was no such case reported in the State.
As part of this initiative, “Chicken Melas” and “Egg Melas” will be organized across the state to encourage people to consume poultry products without fear. Meanwhile, a central team is scheduled to visit the affected villages in East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, and NTR districts to assess the situation. Veterinary experts and health officials have repeatedly confirmed that bird flu does not transmit from birds to humans, and no such cases have been reported in the state.
Despite these assurances, the poultry industry has suffered significant losses over the past ten days due to declining consumption of chicken and eggs. Falling demand has led to a drop in chicken prices, leaving farmers and traders at risk of financial hardship. If the situation persists, the industry could face even greater losses in the coming weeks.
