Capital city Delhi has been declared free from H5N8 avian influenza. H5N8 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus (sometimes called bird flu virus).
Although H5N8 is considered one of the less pathogenic subtypes for humans, it is beginning to become more pathogenic.
The Animal Husbandry Department of the Delhi government issued a circular in this regard and declared the National Capital Territory of Delhi “free from H5N8 strain of Avian Influenza.”
This is declared after two consecutive samples collected at 15 days’ intervals from the last positive results tested negative at the epicenters as per the guidelines issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry.
H5N8 has previously been used in place of the highly pathogenic H1N1 in studies.