Don't eat unknown fish from Nepal floodwaters: Bihar govt

In the wake of Nepal flash floods, the Bihar Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department has issued a public advisory urging caution over consumption of unknown and unusual fish species entering the state's water bodies along with floodwater from the neighbouring country.

The advisory states that unfamiliar and unusual fish have been found in several flood-affected areas of Bihar, with reports of people falling ill after consuming them.

According to the department, floodwaters cause fish from various ponds, lakes, and rivers to travel to other places. Coming into continuous contact with sewage, dead animals, and other pollutants, these fish become contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi, making them dangerous to people's health.

"During floods, fish escape from ponds, rivers, lakes and reservoirs and travel long distances with the water. Due to prolonged contact with mud, sewage, carcasses and other contaminants, these fish get affected by harmful bacteria, viruses and chemicals, making them unsafe for health. Until the environment stabilises and naturally clean, tested fish become available again, fish caught during floodwaters should not be consumed," the advisory said.

The department appealed to citizens to avoid consuming unknown or unusual-looking fish, refrain from buying, selling or using flood-caught fish for food, not consider any unidentified fish fit for consumption without departmental verification, and seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health centre or hospital if symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ache, dizziness or breathing difficulty appear after consuming such fish. -- ANI