Chennai Shuts Guindy Children’s Park After H5N1 Avian Flu Detected In Birds

Chennai: The Guindy Children’s Park in Chennai, a popular hangout for children inside the National Park, has been closed as a precaution after tests confirmed avian influenza (H5N1) among birds in its aviary, following a spate of deaths over the past week.

Officials said nearly 40 birds have died at the park over the past week, with the earliest deaths reported inside the ‘Vedanthangal Aviary’, where a large number of night herons and pelicans were found dead overnight. Additional bird deaths were recorded in the days that followed, prompting authorities to escalate testing.

Samples initially analysed at the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation were later sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, which confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus. The institute functions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

The confirmation, received on March 19, led to the immediate closure of the park from March 20 to contain any potential spread. Authorities said the facility will remain shut until repeated tests show no signs of infection.

The development comes against the backdrop of a wider avian influenza alert in Chennai. Over the past two months, several crows have been found dead in areas such as Adyar, Velachery and Tiruvanmiyur. Laboratory analysis of some of these samples has also confirmed H5N1, indicating that the virus is present beyond confined facilities.

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Earlier this year, the Union government informed the Tamil Nadu authorities that a crow sample collected from Adyar in Chennai, had tested positive for the virus at the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases. It had advised a coordinated ‘One-Health’ approach and called for intensified sanitation and biosecurity measures in areas reporting bird mortality.

Authorities said surveillance will continue, with periodic sampling to track the situation, even as efforts are under way to prevent further spread of the infection