Death of crows sparks concern in Tamil Nadu town, officials rule out health risk

The death of a number of crows in Vedasandur in this district over the last few days has caused health-related apprehensions among the local people, but officials said there was no need to worry and that a probe was on to ascertain the reason behind the spate of deaths.

A health official on Tuesday allayed concerns of bird flu.

Officials also dismissed reports of mass deaths numbering up to 100. While there have been deaths of one or two crows recently, only on February 8, about six to seven crows died, causing some anxious moments to the public, they said.

The Vedasandur taluk in the district is home to several old trees, attracting large number of birds, including crows, officials added.

"There have been deaths of one or two crows, and not as mentioned in some media reports of about 100. On February 8, about six to seven crows died. We got information about the dead crows. We collected them and buried them," the official told PTI.

"There is no need for any health concerns. We have informed the veterinarians who have collected some samples (from the dead crows) and are investigating the cause of deaths."

On February 6, the Tamil Nadu government sounded an alert following reports of crow deaths in various parts of the state, triggering concerns over a potential outbreak of avian influenza.

The Department of Animal Husbandry has directed its officials to intensify surveillance and step up vigil to detect any unusual sickness or mortality among crows, migratory birds and commercial poultry.

Director of Public Health, Dr A Somasundaram, told PTI on February 6 that the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has also released a separate communication, appealing to the public to follow strict safety protocols.

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