The Union Health Ministry announced on 28th of Feb that four cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) have been detected in Madhya Pradesh—three in pet cats and one in a bird. Following the notification of these cases by the animal husbandry department on January 31, immediate public health measures were implemented.
According to the ministry, the outbreak was reported from a live bird market in Chhindwara, where authorities swiftly undertook containment measures. In response, the state government was instructed to follow the guidelines outlined in the Action Plan of Animal Husbandry for Prevention, Control, and Containment of Avian Influenza (2021).
As part of the containment efforts, all birds in the affected market were culled, and the market was shut down for 21 days, starting from the date of the sanitization certificate’s issuance. Additionally, steps prescribed in the Contingency Plan (2005) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were also implemented.
The statement further noted that 65 human samples, collected from veterinarians, market workers, and other individuals who had contact with the affected animals, were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for testing on February 10. All samples tested negative for influenza, ensuring no human infections were reported.
