Karnataka has raised a high alert in Ballari, along with other border districts—Belagavi, Bidar, and Raichur—due to the bird flu (H5N1) outbreak reported in neighboring states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Officials have increased surveillance in these regions and prohibited poultry trucks from entering Karnataka to curb the risk of infection.
During a review meeting in Bengaluru on Monday, Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary of the Health Department, instructed officials to closely monitor poultry workers and vehicles coming from the affected states. “No cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, but we are on high alert to prevent the spread of the virus among birds,” he stated.
Maharashtra’s Kolhapur and Latur districts, which border Belagavi and Bidar, as well as areas near Ballari and Raichur adjacent to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, have seen an increase in bird flu cases.
Although no cases have been detected within Karnataka, poultry sales in Ballari and Belagavi districts have dropped since February 17. “Panic, fueled by rumors, has affected business, even though no infections have been confirmed,” said Sameer Bahewadi, a poultry farm owner in Belagavi and Vijayapura.
A district official in Belagavi, speaking anonymously, confirmed that poultry imports from Maharashtra have been halted, urging consumers to buy local poultry products.
According to the Animal Husbandry Department in Belagavi, bird flu is a zoonotic viral disease that primarily affects poultry but can also spread to mammals, including humans.
Despite the outbreak in neighboring states, Karnataka’s poultry industry remains stable, said Manjesh Kumar Jadhav, Vice President of the Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders’ Association. “The bird flu situation hasn’t significantly impacted business. Karnataka produces about four crore broilers monthly, and the market remains stable with a drop in wholesale prices,” he added.