4 min readPuneUpdated: May 7, 2026 07:18 PM IST
The avian influenza (bird flu) crisis in Maharashtra’s Navapur has intensified, with three more poultry farms testing positive for the virus just days after the initial culling operation was completed. The ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in carcass and tissue samples sent from the region.
Dr Sanjay Khachane, Deputy Commissioner of Animal Husbandry in the Nandurbar district, confirmed that the administration received the positive reports late Wednesday. “Samples sent from Navapur’s Palawala, Sakisma, and Ashraf poultry farms have tested positive for avian influenza,” Dr Khachane told The Indian Express.
The latest findings trigger a fresh round of containment measures. Just a week ago, authorities concluded a massive six-day operation that culled 2.47 lakh birds and destroyed 9.26 lakh eggs.
“We will now embark on the same process initiated last week,” Dr Khachane said. “The latest reports require concerted action to cull chickens at these new sites and redraw the containment zones accordingly.”
Animal husbandry department officials have estimated a rough count of at least 1.5 lakh birds across these three farms. The focus is also on backyard poultry across 30 villages and a larger surveillance exercise has been taken up.
Meanwhile, results from a fourth farm are still awaited. 40 more samples from farms are also being sent to the Pune labs as part of surveillance.
Dr B R Narwade, regional joint commissioner (animal husbandry and dairy) Nashik region urged citizens not to panic since it is rare for transmission to humans. “We are on a constant vigil to present and stop the spread. Chicken and eggs in other parts of the state are safe for consumption with proper cooking and boiling,” he added.
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The initial outbreak was confirmed on April 30, following unusually high mortality rates at four farms. In response, the Nandurbar district administration established a 1-km radius around infected farms for immediate culling, declared a 3-km containment zone to monitor and restrict bird movement, and shifted its focus to backyard poultry to prevent the virus from spreading into local communities.
Nandurbar District Collector Mittali Sethi said that active surveillance and “unusual mortality” alerts from other farms enabled the administration to act quickly before official reports arrived. Sethi added that the administration is prioritising the redrawing of boundaries to seal off the new hotspots.
“Efforts are also being made to ensure that affected farm owners are compensated as early as possible to mitigate the massive financial losses to the local poultry industry,” Sethi said.
The Navapur region remains under high alert as central and state animal husbandry teams continue to monitor neighbouring clusters to prevent a broader regional spread.
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‘Human-to-human transmission extremely rare’
The recent culling in Navapur has once again raised concerns about the possibility of human transmission. ‘Dr Ishwar Gilada, secretary general of the People’s Health Organisation, noted that while human infection with highly pathogenic H5N1 can cause severe respiratory illness, carrying a high mortality rate globally, India has recorded only two confirmed human cases so far.
“There is neither any treatment nor a vaccine. However, an important scientific reality must be emphasised: sustained human-to-human transmission of H5N1 remains extremely rare and has so far prevented the virus from evolving into a large-scale human disaster,” Dr Gilada said.
Appealing for calm, Dr Gilada added that there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission. “The media must exercise restraint and present scientific developments with balance and context. Governments and public health authorities should promptly issue clear, evidence-based advisories to reassure the public and prevent unnecessary panic,” he said.
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