A severe H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Andhra Pradesh has led to the death of 3,62,532 birds and the culling of 1,78,050 more, with over 5.4 lakh birds affected, reports WAHIS
Published Apr 02, 2025 | 11:42 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 02, 2025 | 11:42 PM
Bird Flu (H5N1) outbreak. (Representational)
Synopsis: The Andhra Pradesh Health Department reassured the public following the death of a child from bird flu, confirming the H5N1 virus. Surveillance is ongoing in the area with no abnormal cases found yet. Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) are conducting surveys and will continue testing for two weeks. This marks India’s second human death due to bird flu
The Andhra Pradesh Health Department has assured the public that there is no cause for panic following the reported death of a child due to bird flu.
Active surveillance is underway in the affected area, with the department fully prepared to manage the situation.
Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) from GGH, Guntur, along with eight health teams, have been deployed to conduct a fever survey in and around the locality.
“So far, no abnormal cases have been identified during the survey. Surveillance will continue for the next two weeks, and testing will be conducted for any suspected cases,” the department stated.
India has recorded its second human death due to bird flu after a two-year-old girl from Narasaraopet in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu district succumbed to the H5N1 virus.
The child was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)Mangalagiri on 4 March after experiencing fever and difficulty in breathing. Despite receiving medical treatment, she passed away on 16 March. Given concerns about avian influenza, her swab samples were tested at the AIIMS, confirming an H5N1 infection.
This diagnosis was later corroborated by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.
“The NIV lab in Pune has confirmed the presence of H5N1 virus in the swab,” a health official from Andhra Pradesh told South First.
The Health Department, in its statement on Wednesday evening, confirmed that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has reported a positive case of H5N1 (Human Avian Influenza) from a sample sent by AIIMS, Mangalagiri.
The sample, tested at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, belonged to a two-year-old girl from Balaiah Nagar, Ravipadu Road, Narasaraopet, Palnadu district.
According to AIIMS Mangalagiri’s report, the child was admitted on 4 March 2025 with symptoms including fever, breathlessness, nasal discharge, seizures, diarrhea, and reduced feeding. Despite intensive medical care, she passed away on 16 March. Her throat swab, collected on 7 March for respiratory virus testing at the VRDL lab, initially tested positive for Influenza A.
Following ICMR’s recommendation, further testing at NIV Pune confirmed the presence of H5N1. The ICMR alerted the State Government on the night of 31 March 2025.
ICMR has also stated that the risk of Human Avian Influenza spreading in the locality is very low, as more than twice the incubation period has passed since the child’s death.
The health department emphasised that “It is enquired with the family members and got to know that the child was having habit of eating raw chicken and she has consumed raw chicken two days before onset of symptoms on 28 February,” said the health department.
In light of a confirmed H5N1 case, all District Medical & Health Officers (DM&HOs) have been alerted to follow the standard operating protocol for managing cases with severe influenza symptoms. The following measures have been implemented:
Indian Biologist and Scientist Vinod Scaria highlighted the rarity of H5N1 infections in humans, which typically occur through close contact with infected animals or the consumption of raw, contaminated animal products. Human infections, however, come with a high fatality rate.
“It would be significant to determine the lineage of the virus through genome sequencing to understand the genetic epidemiology of this outbreak. Although the location of the infection does not have an active outbreak, previous bird flu outbreaks have been reported in Andhra Pradesh,” he stated on X.
Scaria emphasised that there is no need to panic, as human infections remain rare, and effective preventive measures exist:
Scaria urged health authorities to rapidly share genome sequences from both human and animal infections related to the outbreak. “This would enable evidence-based approaches to contain the spread,” he noted.
India has previously reported human infections of bird flu, with cases involving both H5N1 and H9N2 strains. Below is a timeline of the recorded cases:
First human case of bird Flu in India (2021 – H5N1, Haryana)
On 21 July 2021, the Indian National IHR Focal Point notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the country’s first confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) in Haryana.
An 11-year-old boy from Haryana, undergoing immunosuppressive treatment for a pre-existing illness, developed fever, cough, breathing difficulties, and upper respiratory symptoms on 12 June 2021. His condition worsened, leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome, requiring mechanical ventilation. Despite medical intervention, he passed away on 12 July 2021 at AIIMS, Delhi.
A severe outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) was reported across multiple districts of Andhra Pradesh, leading to the deaths and culling of over 5.4 lakh birds.
According to an official notification from the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), the outbreak has resulted in 5,37,606 reported cases, with 3,62,532 birds succumbing to the virus. An additional 1,78,050 birds have been culled as part of containment measures.
The outbreak, first detected in early January 2025, rapidly spread across poultry farms and backyard poultry units. The virus was confirmed through real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) tests conducted at NIHSAD, Bhopal.
Major outbreaks were reported in Kanuru Agraharam (Peravali Mandal), Badampudi (Ungutur Mandal), Velpuru (Tanuku), Pithapuram (Kakinada), and NR Pet (Kurnool), with tens of thousands of birds dying or being culled. Smaller outbreaks were also recorded in Anumolulanka (Krishna), Chendurthy (Gollaprolu, Kakinada), and Deeplanagar (Krishna).
Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety suspended poultry egg imports from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh due to H5N1 outbreaks.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
