Bird flu Scare: Sale of poultry products banned in Delhi

In the wake of the bird flu outbreak, which has been confirmed in nine states and one Union Territory so far, all the three MCDs – North, South and East – Wednesday banned the sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat by shops and restaurants with immediate effect.

The order also stated that the owners of restaurants and hotels will face action if egg-based dishes or poultry meat and other products are served to customers.

The order came days after samples of crows and ducks had confirmed bird flu cases in the national capital. The Ghazipur poultry market has also been closed by authorities. “All meat and poultry shops and meat processing units in areas under the NDMC, are prohibited to sell, store poultry or processed or packaged chicken meat with immediate



effect, till further orders,” the order said.

Several ducks at Sanjay Lake and a considerable number of crows across various city parks have been found dead last week.

As of now, the bird flu outbreak has been confirmed only in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat, according to the Union fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying ministry. It also said that unusual mortality among birds has also been reported in some districts of Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Health Department issued an advisory in view of bird flu cases in the city, asking people not to panic and follow a set of dos and don’ts, including not consuming half-cooked chicken, half-boiled or half-fried eggs.