PTI, as carried by ThePrint, said laboratory examination of samples from the affected areas confirmed the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. The Times of India reported the same strain confirmation and the same list of affected local bodies.

Both reports said rapid response teams will begin culling operations in the affected areas as part of containment. Neither of the accessible reports gave a final count for the number of birds to be culled in Kozhikode.

Officials quoted in both reports said there had been no reported transmission to humans so far, while urging the public to remain vigilant and follow safety guidance. That claim is presented here as official attribution, not as an independently verified public health assessment.

Kerala authorities will cull 5,961 domestic birds in Muhamma in Alappuzha district after avian influenza was confirmed there, according to a PTI report. The report said the Animal Husbandry Department had deployed rapid response teams for culling operations within a 1-km radius of the epicenter.

A separate The Hindu report, citing officials and agency inputs, said the outbreak was confirmed in Ward 7 of Muhamma grama panchayat and that the containment steps were being carried out under the Government of India’s 2021 action plan for avian influenza. It said an emergency meeting chaired by District Collector Inbasekar Kalimuthu approved the cull.

The district administration has urged residents to report unusual bird deaths to veterinary hospitals and to follow protective measures when handling dead birds, according to the same report.
Also read: Kerala To Cull 5,961 Birds in Alappuzha After Bird Flu Confirmation

UKHSA’s formal statistical release classifies the 12 unconfirmed cases as probable. Nine of the 15 confirmed linked cases were confirmed meningococcal group B, or MenB, in the statistical release.

The public health response is centered on preventive antibiotics for people most likely to have had meaningful exposure. UKHSA said the drugs are being offered to University of Kent students, to people who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury on March 5, 6 and 7, and to close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases. The agency said general practitioners across England can prescribe the treatment to people who were told to seek it and have since left Kent. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged anyone who attended Club Chemistry on those dates to come forward to receive antibiotics.

UKHSA also said a targeted MenB vaccination program has started for students and staff who live in or work in halls at the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus, covering about 5,000 students initially. To date, 600 MenB vaccines have been administered at the Canterbury campus after hundreds of students joined a queue outside the campus sports centre, and 6,500 antibiotics have also been given out as a precaution. The agency said the program could be expanded if risk assessments show other groups need it.

The agency said confirmed cases have been identified in students at four schools in Kent and in one student at a higher education institution in London who is directly linked to the Kent outbreak. UKHSA also said it is coordinating a national response, but stressed that this does not mean a national National Health Service (NHS) incident has been declared.

Kent County Council’s director of public health, Dr. Anjan Ghosh, told BBC Radio 4 that officials are not yet in a position to say definitively that the outbreak has been contained, noting they are still working to rule out secondary transmission.

For the wider public, UKHSA said the risk remains low and that transmission typically requires close and prolonged contact, such as living in the same household or intimate contact. Experts note the bacteria spread through respiratory droplets and saliva, particularly in settings with intense social mixing such as shared accommodation or crowded indoor venues. The agency has stressed that antibiotics remain the main measure for controlling the outbreak, while the MenB vaccine is meant to reduce the risk of severe illness in people who receive it. It does not protect against all strains of meningococcal disease, UKHSA said, and it does not stop the bacteria from being carried and spread in the community. The agency’s blog also notes that the MenACWY vaccine — which targets four other meningococcal strains and is routinely offered to teenagers — does not protect against MenB.

UKHSA’s statistical release says daily outbreak counts are verified at set times and may move up or down as cases are confirmed, reclassified or discarded. The agency said it will continue updating the figures as the Kent investigation remains ongoing.

The strikes, carried out overnight into Sunday, March 8, hit multiple oil storage facilities and a petroleum transfer centre in Tehran and nearby Alborz. Fars news agency reported that four tanker drivers were killed in the attack on the transfer centre. Israel said the facilities were used for military infrastructure.

By Sunday morning, thick smoke had spread across Tehran. A video posted on X appeared to show the capital at sunrise under a dense smoke plume, visually matching other reports that the sky had darkened over the city. CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen, posting from Tehran, described oil rain falling across the city after the strikes.

It is raining oil in Tehran this morning after major airstrikes on oil facilities in the South and West of the Iranian capital. @CNN @cnni pic.twitter.com/2FBD9EnO9p

— Frederik Pleitgen (@fpleitgenCNN) March 8, 2026

Residents quoted by Time described dark, oily rain on streets, cars and rooftops, and said the air was difficult to breathe. One resident said the rain had turned surfaces black even miles from the storage sites.

Iran’s Red Crescent Society warned that chemicals released by the explosions included hydrocarbon compounds, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and said any resulting rainfall could be “extremely dangerous and highly acidic.” Iranian environmental authorities and relief officials urged residents to remain indoors.

On Tuesday, March 10, The Guardian reported that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said damage to petroleum facilities in Iran risked contaminating “food, water and air,” with particular danger for children, older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions. WHO had already warned in a March 5 briefing that the wider conflict was putting health systems and lives at risk across the region.

WHO’s March 5 briefing said almost 1,000 deaths had been reported in Iran at that point and that the agency had verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon. A WHO Eastern Mediterranean regional statement, cited in secondary reporting, said Iranian national authorities were reporting more than 925 deaths, more than 6,100 injuries and 14 attacks on health care in Iran since February 28.

What is confirmed and what is not

What remains less clear is the precise nature of the rainfall itself. Public reporting supports that dark, soot-filled or oil-streaked rain fell over parts of Tehran, but no public laboratory analysis has confirmed its composition. That makes terms such as “acid rain” and “toxic rain” safest when attributed to Iranian relief officials or residents, not stated as established fact.

Experts quoted by The Guardian said the phenomenon was consistent with soot, smoke, oil particles, sulfur compounds and other material released by burning petroleum infrastructure mixing with an incoming weather system. Dr Akshay Deoras of the University of Reading said those conditions could produce dark rainfall, while Prof Andrea Sella of University College London said the immediate risks would include inhalation and skin exposure to harmful particles and chemicals.

Residents interviewed by Time spoke of headaches, sore skin, throat irritation and breathing problems after short periods outdoors. Those accounts are significant, but they remain anecdotal. No official count of exposure-related hospital visits has been published, nor has a clinical assessment of the rainfall’s effects.

The reporting available draws heavily on resident accounts, Iranian official warnings and secondary media reports, rather than laboratory data or direct WHO technical findings on the rainfall itself. That is a meaningful limitation given the scale of the health claims being made.

Iran’s deputy health minister, Ali Jafarian told Al Jazeera that soil and water supplies around Tehran were beginning to be contaminated by fallout from the explosions. That claim has not been independently verified.

The state says the pressure has intensified in 2026. Officials said 7.2 million birds have been affected since the start of this year, and that about half of the state’s losses since 2022 have occurred since January 2026.

“I know farmers are worried given the recent increase in cases,” Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement released by his office.

The Shapiro administration said its response team is now working in 21 locations statewide during the current surge, as it mobilises more personnel and expands testing.

Pennsylvania’s plan relies on a mix of state staff, federal support, and university experts, according to the administration’s update from Harrisburg.

Officials said 42 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees would be on the ground supporting 55 Commonwealth veterinarians and employees, four Penn State Extension experts, and three members of the Pennsylvania National Guard Civil Support Team. The administration also said it is deploying up to six additional Commonwealth employees to support the response.

The administration framed the effort as aimed at protecting Pennsylvania’s poultry sector, which it described as a $7.1 billion industry.

State officials described bird flu as highly infectious and generally fatal to domestic birds, and said speed is central to limiting spread.

A key part of the response is surveillance and testing through the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS).

The administration said PADLS processed 672,342 bird flu tests between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. That total included more than 200,000 poultry samples and 29,000 cattle samples.

Since January 2026, PADLS has performed 8,000 tests in the last six weeks and tested 80,000 birds in less than two months, the administration said.

When a case is detected, state officials said animal health teams deploy alongside the USDA and local emergency management. They work to quarantine affected sites, conduct testing, and oversee cleaning and disinfection protocols.

NBC10 Philadelphia reported that Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding are scheduled to visit the Lancaster County Rapid Response Center on Feb. 24 for a roundtable with poultry producers and industry leaders. The discussion is expected to be streamed.

Pennsylvania officials also pointed to funding meant to help farms recover and strengthen defences against future outbreaks.

The administration said Pennsylvania is the only state with a dedicated HPAI Recovery Fund and that $75 million has been committed to it since 2022. Officials said $59.45 million is currently in reserve.

They said 300 poultry businesses have received $15.9 million in grants to offset losses and strengthen biosecurity, including disease-prevention improvements on 150 farms.

Separately, the state said Shapiro secured $6 million in the 2024- 25 budget to establish a fourth diagnostic laboratory at Penn State Beaver, aimed at increasing surge capacity and improving statewide surveillance.

The administration said the governor is seeking $11 million for agricultural preparedness and response in his proposed 2026- 27 budget.

Bird flu has primarily been an animal health and agricultural crisis. Still, it has also drawn attention from public health agencies due to infections reported among people who have had close contact with animals.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says A(H5) bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and continues to cause outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, with sporadic human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers.

“The current public health risk remains low,” the CDC says, while monitoring continues for people with animal exposures.

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture said it continues to monitor and respond to bird flu in backyard and commercial flocks. The department also said there are currently no reported cases in Pennsylvania’s dairy cattle.

It encouraged dairies to enrol in a voluntary health monitoring programme described on its avian influenza information page.

The administration urged poultry producers to reinforce biosecurity steps during the seasonal migration period, when wild birds can increase the risk of exposure.

Those steps include limiting farm access, using protective clothing and footwear, disinfecting equipment and vehicles, preventing contact with wild birds, and monitoring flock health for unexplained illness or deaths.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture also lists reporting lines for suspected illness in poultry and wild birds, as the state continues to track the outbreak and expand its response.

More than 30 swans have died in just a few days around London’s Docklands waterways, triggering an investigation into suspected bird flu.

At least 30 swans have been found dead in and around West India and Millwall dock waterways near Canary Wharf, according to the Canal & River Trust, which manages the area’s waterways.

The deaths have been hard to miss. The docks sit beside office blocks, flats and footpaths, and the swans are a familiar presence for locals who stop to watch or feed them.

Passersby told ITV News London they had watched birds collapse and die in minutes. One witness said: “I’ve seen about 15 swans die in front of me… within 10 minutes, they’re dead.”

Another person said children who come to feed the swans are now encountering carcasses along the water’s edge.

Andy Miller, a volunteer with the Swan Sanctuary, said the scale of losses felt different from previous episodes. “We’ve had other outbreaks of illnesses, bird flu, but this has taken more than 30 so far,” he told ITV News London.

Miller added that younger birds appeared to be hit especially hard, and that his team was waiting for Defra test results to confirm the cause.

The Canal & River Trust said it was liaising with Defra, and that a specialist contractor had been brought in to remove carcasses from the water. Ben Macmillan, the trust’s ecologist, said: “A specialist contractor has now collected 30 dead birds, all swans.”

Macmillan also urged the public not to handle dead birds, warning that officials were trying to limit the potential spread of a suspected avian influenza outbreak.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency, part of Defra, said it was investigating the Docklands deaths under its dead wild bird surveillance scheme. “We are aware of a number of swan deaths around West India and Millwall docks, and are investigating,” a spokesperson said.

Testing can be targeted rather than exhaustive. The Independent reported that APHA would collect a maximum of five birds from a particular location for testing when a mass die-off is reported.

For wildlife rescuers, the suspicion alone changes day-to-day practice. South Essex Wildlife Hospital, which ITV reported has been receiving animals with suspected bird flu, has moved checks outside. Head vet Tom Linsel said birds were being assessed in the car park with staff wearing protective equipment.

“If we’re suspecting there is a bird flu… then unfortunately we have to put to sleep the bird,” he said, describing how even minor signs can trigger a difficult decision. He added: “We have to be vigilant.”

Bird flu is primarily a disease of birds, and the UK Health Security Agency advises that the risk to the general public’s health is very low.

Even so, public health advice focuses on reducing contact with sick or dead birds. APHA’s spokesperson urged people not to touch or pick up dead or visibly sick birds, and to wash hands thoroughly after contact with feathers, droppings, or after feeding wild birds.

If people find dead wild birds, government guidance says they should report them to Defra, which may decide to collect and test them for bird flu or another cause of death. Defra’s helpline number is listed as 03459 33 55 77.

Investigators also have to keep an open mind. Not every cluster of dead waterbirds turns out to be avian influenza, even when initial fears run high.

In a separate London canal incident in 2024, APHA reported that 11 birds including swans, geese, ducks and coots tested negative for highly pathogenic avian influenza before further tests were pursued for other causes.

For now, the key fact in Docklands is what remains unknown: the cause of death has not been publicly confirmed, and officials have not yet reported the test results.

Until those results arrive, the advice is simple. Do not touch dead or visibly sick birds, keep dogs away, and wash hands after feeding wild birds or coming into contact with feathers or droppings.

Authorities established a 10-kilometre quarantine zone around the site. They also called on owners of ornamental birds, backyard poultry, and free-range flocks to keep birds indoors to limit contact with wild birds.

Officials described the detection as the season’s second outbreak. The first was reported in early January at a duck breeding facility in Sde Yaakov, about five kilometres from Nahalal.

Why does this area keep seeing cases?

Nahalal has faced bird flu before. Israel recorded 16 outbreaks in commercial poultry nationwide in 2025, and Nahalal accounted for four of them, according to the account provided.

The repeated detections point to a difficult reality for the Jezreel Valley, a region described as vulnerable because it sits along migratory bird routes. Wild birds can carry avian influenza viruses without obvious signs and move long distances during seasonal migration.

The ministry said fattening turkeys is especially sensitive. It warned that once infection enters a commercial coop, deaths can rise quickly and spread across a farm within hours.

Officials said wild migratory birds are the main source of introduction. Once inside a flock, the virus can spread through direct contact between birds or through contaminated equipment that moves between farm areas.

“Fattening turkeys are the most sensitive birds, and infection in a commercial coop can cause rapid mortality spreading across the entire farm in just a few hours,” Agriculture and Food Security Ministry officials said.

Health officials said no human cases have been linked to the Israeli outbreaks and that the risk to the general public remains low. H5N1 can infect people in rare cases, usually among those with close contact to infected birds.

Officials advised consumers to buy poultry and eggs only from regulated sources. They also said thorough cooking kills the virus.

The World Health Organization describes H5N1 as a subtype of influenza virus that infects birds and mammals, including humans in rare instances.
A wider global backdrop

The Nahalal detection comes amid broader concern about H5N1 activity worldwide. The virus has affected poultry and wild birds on every continent except Australia since 2020, as described in the account provided.

In the United States, the virus has also spilled into dairy cattle. Sporadic human infections have occurred worldwide, but sustained person-to-person spread has not.

In India, similar outbreaks in poultry and wild birds have prompted heightened surveillance in several states this season.

The ministry said the child arrived at a hospital in critical condition and was declared dead after resuscitation efforts failed.

The Health Ministry said the outbreak has spread through ultra-Orthodox communities and other areas with lower immunization rates. The ministry also said most previous deaths involved children who had been healthy with no underlying conditions and who had not been vaccinated against measles.

According to ministry data, 25 people were hospitalized with measles at the time of the update, including seven in intensive care.

The ministry described the current outbreak as Israel’s worst measles epidemic since 2018-2019, noting it has involved more deaths than that previous outbreak.

What measles is and how it spreads

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads mainly through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC describes vaccination as the primary tool to prevent measles and limit outbreaks.

Israel’s government health information site describes measles as a contagious disease that can cause serious complications, with higher risk among young children and people with weakened immune systems, and says timely vaccination is the best way to prevent infection.

The ministry has highlighted environments it says increase exposure risk, including crowded, enclosed, and poorly ventilated spaces, particularly when someone with untreated active pulmonary TB is present. Officials also clarified that “Ramadan itself is not a cause” of TB transmission, while noting that increased social interaction during the month can raise exposure opportunities if precautions are not observed.

The ministry noted that TB typically spreads more slowly than fast-moving respiratory viruses and is often linked to prolonged, repeated exposure — meaning cases appearing in weekly updates may reflect infections acquired earlier. The health minister added that a “minor hike” should be interpreted cautiously, as it may reflect enhanced case detection, contact screening, and improvements in the notification system, according to the New Straits Times.

Kota Tinggi cluster: 33 cases after screening 804 contacts

Public attention increased after reports of a TB cluster in Kota Tinggi, Johor. The Ministry of Health confirmed the cluster was detected on Jan. 25, with 33 positive cases identified after screening 804 close contacts as of Feb. 4.

Malaysia reported 10 new TB clusters detected in early 2026 across multiple states. The ministry describes a TB cluster as active if it spans two incubation periods, defined as six months under Malaysian epidemic management guidance.

In Johor, officials said there would be no change to standard operating procedures for Ramadan bazaars despite the rise in TB cases, including no requirement for traders or food handlers to wear masks as an added precaution.

Malaysia’s health minister said 85% of reported TB cases involve Malaysians and 15% involve foreigners.

TB is typically treated with a combination of antibiotics taken for at least six to nine months; incomplete treatment can contribute to drug resistance. BCG vaccination against TB is included in Malaysia’s National Immunisation Programme and is provided free to babies and children according to a schedule set by the Ministry of Health.