Berhampur, Jan. 5: The state government has alerted coastal districts of the state to remain alert after swine flue cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana.

Ganjam district collector Prem Chandra Chowdhury said: 'We will stop transportation of chicken from Andhra Pradesh if the flu is reported from the districts bordering the state,' he said. The state depends on neighbouring districts of Andhra Pradesh for chicken and other poultry products.

The state health and family welfare department has written to the district administration, said chief district medical officer Niranjan Behera.

'The virus is a mix of genes from swine, bird, and human flu viruses. The swine flu viruses that usually spread among pigs are not the same as human flu viruses. Swine flu doesn't normally infect people,' Behera said.

Chief district veterinary officer of Ganjam Trinath Nayak said the district had a few pockets with a sizeable number of pig population. 'Our employees here have been alerted. Surveillance teams have been formed led by the livestock inspectors. They will collect information about the pigs, the number of deaths and their health condition,' Nayak said.

'We have also requested the owners of the pigs to inform us immediately if any animal suffers from flu or fever,' he said.

Ashok Kumar Behera, superintendent of MKCG Hospital, Berhampur, said no cases had been reported with swine flu in the hospital, which is a referral facility in the entire south Odisha.

Large numbers of patients from Ganjam visit Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and other places in Andhra Pradesh for various purposes.