An official sanitising Delhi’s National Zoologic Park premises after two painted storks were recently found infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.
| Photo Credit: PTI
After 12 birds in the city’s National Zoological Park died from bird flu in the last week, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh on Monday said random samples will be collected from poultry markets, including the Murga Mandi in Ghazipur.
Mr. Singh said that while “there is no cause for concern at the moment”, the Health Department is keeping hospitals and surveillance teams on alert.
“Those who wish to take additional precautions may avoid eating chicken for two to three days”, he added.
A statement issued by the National Zoological Park director Sanjeet Kumar on Sunday read that surveillance and bio-security measures have been intensified in the zoo premises after the death of the birds. Till Sunday, six painted storks and two black-necked ibises died in the water bird aviary, while four migratory painted storks died in ponds. The samples of two painted storks and two ibises tested positive for H5N1, a strain of the influenza virus, the statement said.
On Monday, one more painted stork was found dead during surveillance near the pond, Mr. Kumar said. Another stork in the water bird aviary was found sick and shifted to an isolation ward, he said, adding that swabs from the body and the sick bird have been sent for observation.
Surveillance at zoo
The statement added, “Surveillance teams are surveying entire premises two times a day. Intensive cleaning and disinfection of enclosures, water ponds, foraging grounds of migratory birds are being undertaken”, and said all the zoo staff have been suitably equipped with protective gear for the situation.
The zoo is closed for visitors until further notice.
Published – September 02, 2025 12:50 am IST
