The ministry assured that the disease poses no threat to humans but advised the public to exercise caution. Children should be kept away from dead or infected pigeons, and adults should use protective gear when handling them, the ministry advised.
The Animal Welfare Ministry has said that pigeons found dead or diseased in Male' have contracted a respiratory infection known as infectious coryza.
Dead and infected pigeons began appearing last month, prompting authorities to launch an analysis.
The ministry stated that infectious coryza is a bacterial disease affecting the respiratory system of birds, most commonly poultry.
The ministry assured that the disease poses no threat to humans but advised the public to exercise caution. Children should be kept away from dead or infected pigeons, and adults should use protective gear when handling them, the ministry advised.
The diagnosis was based on disease prevalence, symptoms, necropsy findings, and laboratory tests. The illness is caused by the bacterium Avibacterium paragallinarum.
Additional tests also detected coccidiosis and candidiasis, which are secondary bacterial infections.
Infectious coryza and these secondary infections can lead to illness and death in birds. Symptoms include a runny nose, coughing, breathing difficulties, swelling of the head and face, and trouble eating.
The ministry stated that the outbreak will subside naturally within a short period.
Sign In