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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Thousands of poultry deaths reported in Odisha district amid fears of bird flu
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. A worker feeds chickens at a poultry farm. (PTI) 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 High-Security Animal Disease, Bhopal for confirmation,' Puri district chief veterinary officer Dr Sarat Kumar Behera. Officials said thousands of chicken deaths have been reported in villages like Amula, Sishuapada, Gediput, Matiapada, Beguniapada, Singhabrahmapur, Tinpur and Gadmotata of Delang block. District Chicken Farmers Development Forum advisor Ashok Pradhan said the government should provide assistance to the affected chicken farmers. In February this year, an outbreak of bird flu or avian influenza was reported from Pipili area of Puri prompting the authorities to cull more than 11,700 chickens after detecting the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. Avian influenza, commonly called 'bird flu', is a viral infection that spreads in birds but can sometimes spread to humans. Avian influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Influenza A(H5N1) is the most common cause of bird flu in humans. However, recently, bird flu in humans has been found due to H7N7 and H7N9 strains of the influenza.
Hindustan Times
31-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
World No Tobacco Day 2025: Doctors share why smoking with morning tea on empty stomach harms gut and lungs
A cup of steaming tea while taking a puff of a cigarette has been glorified. But this habit may be doing you more harm than you realise, adversely affecting your lungs and gut, setting up for digestive and respiratory conditions in the long run. World No Tobacco Day, observed annually on May 31, which advocates for cutting down on tobacco consumption, is an appropriate time to draw attention to this health-wrecking habit. HT Lifestyle reached out to experts, who explained how this simple combination of tea and a cigarette in the morning may be dangerous for your lungs and gut health. Dr Sarat Kumar Behera, senior consultant pulmonologist, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneshwar, shared with us how tea combined with smoking in the morning can impair respiratory health. He said, 'Smoking a first cigarette in the morning, when the lungs are most vulnerable, immediately reduces lung function. While sleeping, the lungs are in a resting state, in which they recover from the respiratory system. A first-morning cigarette jolts this system with a hit of poisonous chemicals, which impairs oxygen exchange and destroys the delicate hair-like structures (cilia) that remove mucus and other debris. This interference can result in difficulty breathing, lower energy, and an observable loss of appetite as the body fights to restore balance." Here are some more ways it can damage your respiratory health, as shared by Dr Sarat: Now that you know the ill effects of cigarettes on your lungs and overall respiratory health, let's also take a look at how the tea-cigarette combination impacts your gut when consumed on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Dr Gyan Ranjan Rout, consultant gastroenterologist, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneshwar, explains how this seemingly harmless habit can trigger a chain of negative reactions in your gut, from acid reflux to suppressed appetite. He said, 'From a digestive standpoint, nicotine is a major disruptor. It stimulates excess gastric acid secretion, which is particularly harmful when the stomach is empty, as it usually is in the morning. Combined with caffeine from tea, this creates a hyperacidic environment that aggravates conditions like gastritis and peptic ulcers.' Dr Gyan shared these negative consequences of smoking and sipping on tea in the morning: ALSO READ: World No Tobacco Day: Expert shares 5 ways smoking actively damages your mental health Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
