Patna, Feb. 16: The animal and fish resources department has swung into action to check the mass death of crows across the state.

The state animal husbandry directorate has issued a statewide public notice about steps to be taken in case of sick or unnatural death of crows is reported. It has also directed the district animal husbandry officers to take precautionary measures.

The officers have been asked to co-ordinate on a daily basis with the state health department and the district administration, in case crow deaths are reported, to a control room of the directorate in the state capital.

The Telegraph had in its issue dated February 13 reported about the spurt in the cases of crow deaths in the state. The health department also issued a statewide alert for civil surgeons to immediately report such cases.

Rajesh Kumar, the director of the state animal husbandry directorate, today said: “We have issued an alert regarding the prevention of spread of any contagious disease following the mysterious death of crows. The alert has come after recent media reports related to mass crow death.”

He added: “We have received reports of 28 such incidents from Bhagalpur, Banka and Gaya during the past one month. The reports of High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, on medical investigation of certain samples sent by us have proved the presence of H5N1 virus. It is the same virus that caused a pandemic in crows in the Northeast, Bengal and Jharkhand in the past few months. We are taking all possible steps to stop the propagation of the disease.”

He added: “The disease (avian influenza) is contagious and it is commonly transmitted through air or excreta. The directives issued by the directorate aim to alert residents about the infections that might occur in human beings if they come in contact with the virus. We would soon set up a control room at the office of the directorate, which would receive daily reports from all district animal husbandry officers about any occurrence of unnatural deaths of crows. They would also co-ordinate with local district administration and health department officials to ensure effective vigil and subsequent action.”

Gopal Sharma, a scientist with Zoological Survey of India, Patna, who spotted several cases of mysterious deaths of crows in and around Patna in the past few days, said: “As the disease is in the initial stage of spreading, it is the best time for the departments concerned, including health and animal husbandry departments, to take precautionary measures and stop it before it spreads in the entire state. The steps can include sending samples of organs to best veterinary research institutes to check the cause and cure of the disease and start mass vaccination.”