The birds at a farm in Bidar district tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian flu, according to a report from local newspaper the Times of India.

About 23,000 birds were reported to have died in the outbreak.

"Taking serious note of the outbreak, we have asked the district administration to cull the entire 1.50 lakh (150,000) birds in the affected poultry farm,'' said animal husbandry minister A Manju from Karnataka state.

At other poultry farms within a 1km radius, birds will also be culled. Birds within a 3km radius will be carefully monitored to prevent the disease spreading further.