A central team visited Kerala on Thursday in the wake of the avian influenza (bird flu) outbreak in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. The three-member team from the Union Health Ministry, which includes experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and National Institute of Virology, will look into the possibility of mutation of the H5N8 virus and whether it could pose a risk and infect humans.

The expert team held a meeting with Alappuzha District Collector Alexander and also visited areas where the avian influenza was reported. They conducted a field visit to Karuvatta in Alappuzha, where a huge number of birds were culled. After examining the situation in Alappuzha, the team is expected to visit Kottayam district. According to reports, the team will analyse precautionary measures taken up by the Kerala government.

On Wednesday, Kerala state Animal Husbandry Minister K Raju told the media that the central team would analyse whether the virus could spread to humans. The minister said that 61,513 birds including ducks and chicken were culled in Alappuzha while 7,729 were culled in Kottayam. The initial outbreak was in Nedumudi, Thakazhy, Pallippad and Karuvatta in the Kuttanad region of Alappuzha district.

Though reports suggested that migratory birds may have been the source of the flu, official confirmation is awaited. Apart from Kerala, the flu has been reported in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. The Union government said that 12 epicentres were identified in four states. The first outbreak of avian influenza in India took place in 2006. According to the Department of Animal Husbandry, 25 episodes of avian influenza have been reported in the country until 2015.