India, July 10 -- Five months after bird flu cases were reported in several poultry farms in Odisha's coastal Puri district, the region is once again witnessing concern, with over 500 poultry deaths recently reported and claims suggesting more than 5,000 bird deaths over the past week.

Veterinary department officials in Puri said over the past several days, several poultry farms in the district have reported an unusual number of deaths amid concerns of a bird flu outbreak.

"The deaths have been reported mostly from several villages of Delang area. Though poultry farm owners claim the deaths to be due to avian influenza, we are yet to get a confirmation. We have sent samples of chicken droppings and blood to the National Institute of Hig...