Bird flu is back in India—what's the situation
Bird flu is back in the news, with 41 outbreaks popping up across 10 Indian states this year—places like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are on the list.
While that's fewer than the outbreaks seen in 2021, the virus still spreads easily among birds and can hit the poultry industry hard.
Avian flu can jump to humans
This isn't just a bird problem—avian flu has jumped to wild animals like tigers and even to people.
In April, a two-year-old girl from Andhra Pradesh sadly died after eating raw chicken infected with H5N1, though there's no sign of human-to-human spread so far.
What's being done to contain the virus
India is stepping up its response with more surveillance, movement restrictions for birds, and new biosecurity rules.
States are also prepping for winter when migratory birds arrive (which can make things worse).
On a hopeful note, an AI tool now helps predict outbreaks early, and there's a new homegrown vaccine for one strain of bird flu.