Kozhikode: The hotels in Kozhikode city have temporarily stopped serving chicken dishes after bird flu was reported from the district. Chicken biriyani, one of the major attractions at the non-vegetarian hotels, has been taken off the menu.

The hotels have decided not to serve chicken delicacies until a positive development on the issue. Biriyani, Al fahm, Shawaya, and broasted chicken have all been taken off.

The number of people having food from hotels has also reduced. And several hotels reported that their earnings have been reduced by half.

Some had to shut down their hotels due to poor business.

Poultry shops have also shut down after the sales were stalled.

Pet birds, including poultry, are being culled in large numbers and carcass burnt in regions vulnerable to bird flu.

Thousands of domestic birds were culledat Vengeri and Kodiyathoor villages of Kozhikode district after avian influenza was reported at two poultry farms there. The birds were later burnt at a specially allocated site. Chickens, ducks and other domestic birds were culled to prevent spreading of the virus to nearby areas. Droppings, feed and eggs of these birds were also burnt as an additional precaution.

Avian influenza was last reported from Kerala in 2016. Thousands of ducks were culled in Alappuzha district then to control the spread of the disease.

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