Alappuzha (Kerala) | Hit by avian influenza, authorities in Alappuzha district have culled over 53,000 domestic birds so far this year, officials said here on Tuesday.

This year, cases of bird flu were first reported on April 17 in ducks in a few wards of Edathua and Cheruthana grama panchayats.

Officials said fresh cases of bird flu have been confirmed in Ward 9 of the Ambalapuzha North Grama Panchayat.

They said 6,777 domestic birds within a one-kilometre radius of this ward will be subjected to culling on Thursday.

"So far this year, 53,455 domestic birds have been culled in the district. The figure is as follows: Cheruthana - 11,939, Edathua - 31,811, Ambalapuzha North - 540, and Thakazhi - 9,165," an official release said here.