Bird Flu Kills 4,200 Chicks in Latur Poultry Farm, Authorities Investigate

In a concerning development, over 4,000 chicks at a poultry farm in Latur district, Maharashtra, have died due to bird flu. The tragedy unfolded after nearly 60 crows succumbed to the deadly disease in the region earlier this month. The chicks, aged five to six days, were found dead in Dhalegaon village, Ahmedpur tehsil, in a span of two to three days.

The situation worsened after the poultry farm owner failed to immediately report the deaths to authorities, allowing the infection to spread and devastate the flock. According to local officials, only 300 of the 4,500 chicks survived. Samples of the carcasses were sent to the State Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pune for analysis, confirming the presence of bird flu. Dr. Shridhar Shinde, Deputy Commissioner for Animal Husbandry, stated that the authorities acted promptly once they were informed of the situation, with teams visiting the site to assess the damage. Dr. Shivaji Kshirsagar, deputy commissioner of the Ahmedpur veterinary hospital, urged poultry farm owners to ensure their farms are registered and to report any unusual deaths immediately to local officials to prevent further outbreaks.

Earlier this month, Latur district witnessed the death of nearly 60 crows in Udgir city, which were later confirmed to have died from Avian Influenza (H5N1) after tests by the Pune-based Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and ICAR – National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal. Following these incidents, the district administration has been implementing measures to control the spread of the disease, including declaring alert zones within a 10-km radius of the affected areas and restricting the movement of people, birds, and animals. The outbreak has raised concerns about the potential impact on both local poultry farms and public health. With authorities working to contain the virus, the situation remains under close scrutiny.