Karnataka contains H5N1 bird‑flu scare
- Karnataka health officials said on April 25 they had contained the H5N1 outbreak at the state poultry training centre in Hesaraghatta near Bengaluru after a 10-day surveillance operation found no human infections. - The response covered 28,281 residents, culled 7,444 chickens on April 16, banned poultry movement for 90 days and placed nearby hospitals on influenza-like illness and severe respiratory infection watch. - The case was Karnataka’s first H5N1 detection of 2026, with a 1-km infected zone and 10-km surveillance ring around the farm. (deccanherald.com)
Karnataka officials said on April 25 that the H5N1 bird-flu outbreak at a state poultry training centre in Hesaraghatta near Bengaluru had been contained, with no human cases detected. (deccanherald.com) (ndtv.com) H5N1 is a strain of avian influenza that spreads mainly among birds, and human infections are usually linked to close contact with infected poultry or contaminated environments. Karnataka’s outbreak was confirmed at the government-run Poultry Training Centre in Mathkuru village, near Hesaraghatta. (cdc.gov) (deccanherald.com) The state said the virus was first flagged in chickens on April 14, and 7,444 birds were culled on April 16 as a precaution. Authorities then sealed a 1-kilometre infected zone and monitored a 10-kilometre surveillance zone around the farm. (ndtv.com) (deccanherald.com) Health teams screened 28,281 residents during the 10-day operation and reported no fever clusters, influenza-like illness spikes or severe acute respiratory infection linked to the outbreak. Hospitals in Yelahanka, Nelamangala and Doddaballapur were told to stay on alert. (deccanherald.com) (ndtv.com) Officials also imposed a 90-day ban on poultry activity in the affected area, disinfected the premises and distributed protective gear to response teams. Antiviral medicines and personal protective equipment were pre-positioned in case any human exposure was later detected. (deccanherald.com) (ndtv.com) The episode was Karnataka’s first reported bird-flu case of 2026. The state had also reported H5N1 outbreaks in poultry in Raichur, Chikkaballapur and Ballari in 2025, without confirmed human infections. (ndtv.com) (deccanherald.com) In the United States, the virus remains active in poultry flocks, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture says detections typically rise in spring and fall as wild birds migrate. Arkansas media, citing federal data, reported more than 1.5 million birds affected nationally over the previous 30 days. (aphis.usda.gov) (thv11.com) For now, Karnataka’s containment plan has shifted from emergency culling to monitoring. Officials said village surveillance, hospital watchlists and poultry restrictions will stay in place through the 90-day control period. (deccanherald.com) (ndtv.com)
