The Tamil Nadu government has stepped up surveillance and containment efforts after the Central government confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) in crow samples collected in the state, animal husbandry officials said on Thursday.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying informed the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary that tests conducted by the ICAR‑National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal detected the H5N1 virus in samples from crows in Kanchipuram district collected on January 21.
The confirmation follows reports of unusually high crow deaths in parts of Chennai and surrounding areas.
In response, the Tamil Nadu Department of Animal Husbandry has issued orders to district administrations and local bodies to strengthen biosecurity protocols, surveillance and disinfection operations in areas reporting bird mortalities. Local authorities are also instructed to maintain vigilance for unusual bird deaths and ensure that any such cases are reported immediately.
Officials emphasised that dead birds should be disposed of through deep burial, following strict biosafety and zoo‑sanitary guidelines. The central alert also stressed that carcasses must not be opened without proper protective measures and that samples should be submitted quickly to laboratories for testing.
The Centre has called for intensified active surveillance of poultry, ducks and other susceptible bird populations, especially in affected and surrounding areas. This includes systematic sample collection from wet markets, poultry farms, duck shelters and hatcheries to detect and contain any further spread.
In addition to monitoring domestic birds, the Forest and Wildlife departments have been asked to step up observation of wild and migratory birds in forest‑fringe areas.