TN government assures public as bird flu fears rise, provides safety guidelines

The Tamil Nadu government on Friday sought to calm public concerns over bird flu in the state, underlining that no human infections have been reported while urging citizens to report sightings of dead birds to local bodies or the Animal Husbandry Department .

Chief Secretary N. Muruganandham chaired a comprehensive review meeting here, attended by senior officials from the Health and Family Welfare and Municipal Administration departments. Public Health and Preventive Medicine Director A. Somasundaram briefed attendees on how avian influenza spreads and reaffirmed that there are currently no confirmed human cases in Tamil Nadu . The government has circulated comprehensive guidelines to prevent transmission to all departments and strengthened district-level coordination.

The advisory issued by the state highlights that residents should not panic but must immediately alert authorities if dead crows or other birds are found. Any person experiencing fever, cold or difficulty in breathing is advised to seek prompt treatment at the nearest government hospital. Officials also stressed that properly cooking poultry products, including chicken and eggs , effectively kills the virus. A 24-hour helpline (104) has been set up to address bird flu-related queries.

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has recently been detected in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh , prompting intensified state action. Multiple bird deaths in districts such as Annamayya, Chittoor and Godavari regions tested positive for the H5N1 strain , leading to culling operations and containment measures to prevent further spread.

In the past year, bird flu outbreaks attributed to H5N1 have been reported in several Indian states , including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha , as part of wider patterns of avian influenza transmission across the country. Telangana , which shares borders with Andhra Pradesh, also saw its first confirmed bird flu case last year in poultry farms in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district , with authorities responding through culling and heightened surveillance.

While these outbreaks are part of a broader avian influenza challenge in the region , health officials say there is no evidence that the situation in Tamil Nadu is directly linked to poultry outbreaks in other states , and stress that human transmission remains extremely rare .