Kannur(Kerala) | District authorities on Tuesday confirmed the presence of H5N1 avian influenza virus in samples of a dead crow in Malur panchayat here.

District Collector Arun K Vijayan said that caution should be exercised as bird flu can spread to humans.

According to an official statement, bird flu in the dead crow's sample was confirmed by the District Animal Husbandry Officer.

Directions have been issued to prevent spread of the virus in the panchayat and nearby areas, district authorities said.

Earlier, on January 17, bird flu was confirmed in a dead crow in Edakkanam area of Iritty in this north Kerala district.