Sudden death of poultry birds for unknown reasons in Khaira and Kupari areas of the district has triggered panic among the poultry farmers, reports The Telegraph of India.

While unofficial sources claimed that over 2,000 birds have died due to an unknown disease in the last 10 days in these tribal-dominated pockets, veterinary department officials said the death toll was less than 20.

A team from the Animal Disease Research Institute has arrived in the area to ascertain the causes of the disease, said chief district veterinary officer, Hrudananda Das.

"We have carried out an autopsy of some of the dead birds and found the death was due to 'white bacillary discharge'," said Bishnu Charan Swain, a veterinary surgeon of Khaira.

Asish Das, a poultry cooperative activist, said: "Our cooperative society had supplied nearly 4,000 chicks to the members of the area. Of them, about 90 adults and sub-adults died within two days. The birds didn't have symptoms of any white discharge. All of them died suddenly. Not ready to take any chance, we have decided to undertake a vaccination drive on our own efforts."

The carcasses of the birds were thrown in the jungle by the hatchery and poultry farm owners, without proper disposal. The carcasses were eventually dragged to the habitation by carnivorous animals and birds. As a result, the disease is spreading fast, he said.

"Our team has visited an affected poultry farm in Sundarpur from where the deaths were reported first," added Mr Das.