Tumakuru, May 1 -- Karnataka is on heightened alert after laboratory tests confirmed H5N1 avian influenza as the cause of death of 44 peacocks in Tumakuru district, triggering containment measures and intensified surveillance, officials said on Friday.
The outbreak was first detected on April 16, when several peacocks were found dead in Tumakuru taluk. In the following days, forest officials recovered carcasses from agricultural fields across Kesaramadu, Hirehalli and Gulur gram panchayats, with the toll rising to 44.
Samples tested at the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus, the forest department said.
In response, authorities have declared a 10-km containment zone ...