India has reported an outbreak of a highly contagious bird flu virus near Bengaluru in the southern state of Karnataka, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Monday, 15 January, citing a report from the Indian agriculture ministry.
The H5N8 virus was detected on Dec. 26 among birds in the village of Dasarahalli, killing 9 out of 951 birds. The others were culled, the Paris-based OIE said in a report posted on its website. No details were given on the type of birds involved.
This news comes as a shocker since India was declared free from the Avian Influenza (H5N8 and H5N1) in September 2016 by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
The last reported case of bird flu in Bengaluru was in October 2012.
Here’s all you need to know about the H5N1 infection and how you can prevent it.