Bhubaneswar: The bird flu scare gripped many places in Pipili of Puri district after hundreds of chickens were found dead. Samples of dead chickens confirmed the birds were infected with the H5N1 virus.

Veterinarian Purusottam Pradhan said the chickens have died after being infected with the virus. It spreads through faeces and dead tissues of the infected birds. 

The Veterinarian added no specific drugs or treatment procedures have been devised to prevent the spread of Bird Flu. Only as a preventive measure chickens are culled, he added.

In January this year, the Bird Flu scare fuelled in Kendrapara district after chickens died in large numbers. Even the State government rushed a team of veterinarians to test the samples and vaccinate the chickens not infected with the bird flu.

Bio-security measures such as the spray of aerial disinfectant can reduce the spread of the H5N1 virus, said the veterinarians. 

The arrival of migratory birds also increased the risk of bird flu in several parts of the State.