As India continues the downward trend for new coronavirus cases, another pressing matter appears to have left several states baffled as hundreds of birds have died due to bird flu in Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Kerala Minister for Forest, Animal husbandry and Dairy development K Raju had confirmed that that about 12,000 ducks had died and around 40,000 birds will be culled in the region where bird flu has been reported. The state government said that bird flu is declared as a state-specific disaster in Kerala and a high alert has been issued after an outbreak of bird flu was confirmed in certain parts of Kottayam and Alappuzha districts.

Madhya Pradesh Animal Husbandry Minister Prem Singh Patel also said that an alert has been sounded to control the deaths of crows in the state after nearly 400 crows were found dead in 10 districts. In Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur, officials said that around 100 crows died in the city between December 23 and January 3.

Meanwhile, over 1,700 migratory birds have died of suspected bird flu in the Kangra district’s Pong Dam area in Himachal Pradesh. Bird flu virus H5N1 has killed 2,403 migratory birds so far in this area, the state government said.