Housing among the largest livestock reserves across the world, India is at “risk and vulnerable”, to the on-going worst-ever outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) worldwide admits the Central Government adding that the worry is compounded by the fact that the virus is decimating avian populations worldwide at an unprecedented rate and now posing a threat of mammalian transmission.
India has a large reserve of livestock, wild population and domestic poultry making up for almost 18% of the world stock.
“Across the world the virus is being detected among wild birds and other species, which makes the chance of it mutating and becoming harmful greater,” warns World Economic Forum (WEF) in its latest paper on pandemic and preparedness.
