The Federal Government yesterday confirmed the outbreak of a new strain of Bird Flu in Kano State.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Audu Ogbeh confirmed the outbreak at the ministry in Abuja.
Ogbeh said the migration of birds from Europe is responsible for the outbreak, “as they stop to rest and feed at Adaeja basin before moving to South Africa”.
Ogbeh said the virus has only affected Kano State and advised farmers to take preventive measures to avoid further spread to other states.
On why there has not been a permanent cure for the virus, he said the constant change in the strain of the virus is responsible for this.
“There is bird flu in Cameroon and in Europe now, they move from Europe to South Africa in the winter, they stop in the Adaeja river basin for days to rest before they move on.
“We don’t have the vaccine yet, we are calling a meeting of all the commissioners of Agriculture to take measures to control it because there is no vaccine yet.
“We are telling farmers to try and take measures to avoid the spread of the disease.
“The strain keeps changes which is why vet doctors have not been able to find a solution to it.
“For now only Kano has an outbreak and we are controlling it, we are making sure there is no movement of chicken from state to state.
“Unfortunately those who lost chickens last year, we have not been able to compensate because we didn’t have money. We are putting some funds together to help them out.”
Tag: bird flu
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Minister confirms bird flu outbreak in Kano
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Bird flu resurfaces in Kano
Kano State Government on Wednesday announced the re-emergence of bird flu in the state.
The Director Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Shehu Bawa, disclosed this to journalists in Kano.
Bawa said the outbreak was recorded in one of the poultry farms in the state.
He said the affected farm had been depopulated while stringent measures were taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
“The state government has taken proactive measures to contain the spread of the disease to other farms within the state,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Bawa as saying to journalists.
He said part of the measures taken to check the spread of the disease include disinfection of the affected farm and routine surveillance of other farms.
Bawa called on farmers to immediately report to the appropriate authority outbreak of the disease in their respective farms to enable the government to take prompt action.
“I am using this opportunity to advise farmers to immediately report any outbreak of the disease to enable the government to take prompt response.”
On an inadequate number of veterinarians, the director urged the government to employ more for effective supervision of abattoirs in the state.
He said most of the abattoirs lacked veterinarians to inspect animals before being slaughtered.
“With the exception of the two abattoirs at Kofar Mazugal and Bachirawa, others have no meat Inspectors.
“So, there is the need to have veterinarians to supervise abattoirs in each of the 44 Local Government Areas of the state,” he said.
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Bird Flu: Adamawa deploys veterinary, health workers on surveillance
The Adamawa Government on Monday announced the deployment of veterinary, health and environmental workers to avian influenza affected areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this follows the reported outbreak of bird flu in some parts of the state.
The state Director, Ministry of Livestock Production, Dr Abdurrahman Tukur, mad this known to the NAN in Yola.
Tukur explained that the deployment was to quickly eradicate and prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of the state.
“Since the outbreak of the disease last week, the state government has intensified surveillance, while several veterinary, health and environment workers have been deployed.
“The officers were deployed to the affected areas while some have mounted check points on major roads in the state to monitor the movement of birds and other related animals,” said the director.
He expressed happiness that since the outbreak last week, there had been no further report of the spread of the disease in the state.
However, he urged the people of the state to be vigilant and report any case of suspected bird illness to the nearest veterinary outpost for immediate action.
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Bird Flu: Expert warns against drinking raw eggs
A physician, Dr Emmanuel Onyeka, has advised Nigerians against the habit of drinking raw eggs to prevent easy transfer of the bird flu virus to humans.
Onyeka, who is a staff of the Veterinary Services Department of the Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Enugu.
He spoke against the backdrop of the recent resurgence of bird flu in parts of the country.
“Everybody should disinfect eggs bought in the market, even before cooking or frying them, to meet eating condition.
“Those in the habit of breaking and drinking raw eggs, for whatever reasons, are taking a very big risk of contracting bird flu,’’ the medical expert warned.
Onyeka said that though there were few known cases of humans contracting the disease in the country; “nevertheless, everybody should play his or her part so that the disease does not take another dimension,’’ he said.
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Bird flu: Plans underway to shut unregistered poultry farms
•Ebonyi, Plateau confirm bird flu outbreak
The Federal Government has said it will shut unregistered poultry farms, following a fresh outbreak of the Avian Influenza (AI).
Director of Veterinary Services and Pest Control Services in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Egejuru Eze said this at a sensitisation campaign for poultry farmers in Kuje and Gwagwalada councils, Abuja, at the weekend.
She said the move would check unwholesome poultry products and encourage tracking of poultry farms whenever there is disease outbreak.
Dr. Eze said a situation where individuals arbitrarily set up poultry farms without licence would not be condoned.
She said poultry farmers should register at the nearest government veterinary office so that they could benefit from government support.
According to her, the Federal Government paid about N700 million as compensation to poultry farmers during the last bird flu outbreak, with N500 million still outstanding.
She said one should be proactive and engage in bio-security, instead of waiting for compensation and spreading the virus.
Dr. Gidado Muhammed of the Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services described bird flu as a highly infectious and contagious disease.
He said the virus affects different species of birds, such as chicken, ducks, guinea fowls and others, which lives naturally in the wild.
Muhammed added that it could be transmitted from infected domestic and wild migratory birds.
He identified bio-security as a major means to safeguard the farms and stop spread of the disease.
“Some of the measures to be taken is to keep poultry closed, screen buildings on the farm to prevent entry of rats, birds and reptiles that can carry the virus into the building, separation of poultry from other animals and from other poultry species, no standing bodies of water on the farm as this can attract wild birds that may be carriers.
“Controlling the movement of people, animals, equipment and vehicles in and out of and within the farm. The farm should be fenced with a bowl containing disinfectant at the gate and entrance of each pen etc,” he advised.
Ebonyi and Plateau states have confirmed an outbreak of bird flu
The virus was detected in a poultry farm at Ugwuachara area of Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Orji Uchenna, confirmed the detection of the virus after a visit to the farm for an on-the-spot assessment.
According to him, the attention of his ministry was drawn to the development following massive death of the birds.
He said officials of the state veterinary services took a sample of the carcass to a research institute in Jos, where it was confirmed that the birds died from the H5NI strains of the Avian Influenza.
Orji directed the Veterinary Department to isolate the farm and take inventory of poultry and ancillary farms as well as sustain enlightenment on the influenza.
Also, the Plateau Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Linda Barau, said four farms were affected, with thousands of birds isolated.
Barau said efforts were being intensified to ensure that the disease did not spread to other farms.
She said farmers were advised to maintain a higher sense of bio-security to avoid spread of the disease.
The commissioner noted that she directed the director of Veterinary Services to liaise with farmers. Mrs. Barau advised them not to panic as the situation was under control.
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Ebonyi records first Avian Influenza case
Ebonyi has recorded its first case of Avian Influenza infection, as confirmed by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Uchenna Orji.
Orji confirmed the virus’s detection on Sunday while interacting with newsmen who visited the affected poultry farm at Ugwuachara area of Abakaliki.
According to him, the attention of his ministry was drawn to the development, following massive death of birds at the farm.
“Officials of the state veterinary services took the sample of a bird’s carcass to a research institute in Jos, where it was confirmed that the birds died from the H5NI strains of the Avian Influenza.
“I have directed the veterinary department of the ministry to isolate the farm and take inventory of all poultry and ancillary farms in the state.
“We will also ensure sustained enlightenment on the influenza to educate the public on precautionary measures to take ,” he said.
Reacting, the Director of Veterinary Services and Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Ibiam Okoro, said that efforts had been intensified to contain the possible spread of the virus.
“The strain detected in the farm was only transmissible from animal to animal. Poultry farmers and the people are warned against the sale or consumption of sick or dead chicken,” he said.
The Avian Influenza Control Project Desk Officer in the state, Dr Rita Okoro, said that the alarm raised by the affected farm owner, helped in checking the spread of the virus to other farms in the state.
One of the Supervisors of the farm, Miss Victoria Chukwu, told newsmen that the sudden-massive death of the birds aroused suspicion as they failed to respond to all treatment given to them.
“Fellow poultry farmers should exercise caution while the people should ensure that chicken and other poultry products are properly cooked before consumption,” she advised.
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Plateau announces fresh cases of bird flu
The Plateau Government on Friday announced a fresh outbreak of Avian Influenza, saying that the bird flu had so far affected six farms.
The announcement is contained in a statement signed by the state’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Doris Bitrus, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.
According to him, the fresh cases of bird flu were reported to the ministry on January 8.
“Six farms have been confirmed positive of the disease; the farms host a total of 10,000 birds,” the statement said.
It said that government had taken proactive measures to contain and control the disease, so as to arrest its spread to other farms.
The statement advised poultry farmers and live bird marketers to step up bio-safety and hygienic measures within and around their farms and markets.
The government also advised members of the public to avoid the sale, slaughter and consumption of sick birds, adding that chicken products should be properly cooked before consumption.
It, however, advised Plateau residents to remain calm and report any disease suspected to be avian influenza to the control project office of the Veterinary Hospital, Jos.
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Nigeria loses N10b to bird flu
Nigeria has lost over N10billion to the outbreak of avian influenza otherwise known as bird flu in poultry farms located in 21 states across the country, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has said.
Its Director-General, Mr. Onallo Akpa said the losses were incured between January and September, this year, lamenting that the outbreak of bird flu led to the depopulation of about 1.7million birds.
Mr. Akpa, who spoke to reporters in Abuja yesterday, added that each of the bird had an average economic value of about N7, 000.
He urged the Federal Government to re-consider its decision to suspend payment of compensation to poultry farmers who lost their investments as a result of the outbreak of the disease.
The Federal Government had last week announced that bird flu was recorded in 491 poultry farms in Nigeria and stated that it would henceforth stop the payment of monetary claims to farmers because the compensation package had made them to relax in complying with stipulated bio-security measures.
He said: “We have about 1.7million laying birds that have been depopulated as a result of this outbreak. So to calculate the direct economic loss, if you take this figure and multiply it at the rate of N5, 000 which is the economic value of one laying bird, you will realise that Nigeria has lost over N10billion.
“This is the direct loss to the Nigerian economy. It does not include the job losses and other ancillary services that are linked to the business. So if the government is paying a compensation of N1.1billion, is that substantial enough?
“It might interest you to know that the Nigerian poultry industry alone needs two million metric tons of maize and almost one million metric tons of soya beans on an annual basis. Do you know the economic value of these crops to the Nigerian crop farmers?”
On the suspension of compensation to farmers, he said: “If government says there is no compensation, then the situation is going to be worsened. Because no matter how paltry the compensation is, farmers are encouraged to report suspicious diseases that they don’t know whenever it occurs.
“When you report and government officials come to the farm and find out that it is avian influenza, the whole farm will be taken over and depopulated. So, the chance of spreading the virus to another nearby farms is minimised.”
He added that instead of suspending compensation to poultry farmers and passing blames, the federal government should call for a stakeholders meeting where inputs will be made on how to tackle the problem.
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Bird flu: FG may suspend payment of compensation to farmers
The Federal Government has said that it may suspend the payment of compensation to poultry farmers whose farms were infected by Avian Influenza (bird flu) pending when substantial progress on bio-security and other containment measures are put in place by the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) and state veterinary services.
This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sonny Echono on Wednesday at a meeting with stakeholders in the poultry industry at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Echono stated that the government has paid about N380 million to 138 farmers, while N643 million has also been committed as compensation to 246 poultry farmers.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Information, Mr. Tony Ohaeri, the permanent secretary said that N476 million was still required for the payment of compensation to the remaining 250 poultry farmers.
He said the federal government had noted with concern the unencouraging disposition of PAN in assisting officials of some states in their efforts aimed at curtailing the spread of the disease.
Echono said such co-operation was needed in the creation of adequate sensitization and awareness amongst poultry farmers.
He strongly emphasized the need for sensitization on the control of avian influenza in birds, proper adherence to on farm bio-security, registration of farms with State Directorate of Veterinary Services and non-transportation of birds indiscriminately without the authorization of the State veterinary services.
The permanent secretary maintained that poultry farmers must adhere to government policy of non-vaccination against the disease and enforcing the restocking policy on affected farms.
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Bird flu spreads to 85 councils in 21 states
A new outbreak of Avian Influenza (bird flu) has been reported in 85 local governments in 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Federal Government said yesterday.
Cases of bird flu were first reported in January by the government in over 11 states.
The government said that the new outbreak which has been reported in Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Oyo, Enugu, Abia and the FCT, occurred between July and last month.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, who spoke at a meeting with stakeholders in the poultry industry, said that 491 farmers have been affected by the disease.
Echono said that 1, 597, 191 birds have been depopulated so far.
The permanent secretary said that government had begun the decontamination of affected farms and birds to curtail the spread of the disease.
He said: “As you are probably aware, the resurgence of Avian Influenza at at today has spread to 85 Local Government Area in 21 states and the FCT affecting 491 farms.
“The disease has continued to spread mainly in the southern states and the latest outbreaks reported between July and September, 2015 in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Enugu, Abia, Rivers, and FCT.
“These new outbreaks have been attributed to non-compliance to Biosecurity in farms, limited awareness creation on disease among poultry farmers, disregard to public policy on sitting of poultry farms and other enforcement protocols which are expected to be implemented by the state.”
Echono said that government has agreed to pay N1.1 billion as compensation to 138 affected farmers.
He added that the payment of the remaining 258 farmers was being worked on.
“As stated earlier, 491 farmers are affected by the disease resulting in the depopulation of 1, 597,191 birds and a compensation totaling N1, 11, 193, 658.00 to 138 farmers/farm sand one zoological garden for 498, 464 depopulated birds and 43, 303 eggs destroyed while N263 million is being paid to 108 farmers.
“A sum of over N380 million had been paid as compensation to 138 farmers nationwide and additional N263 million has been verified by the technical consultants appointed by the World Bank for the purpose,” he said.
Echono urged poultry farmers to embrace insurance, adding that the Federal Government would not be responsible for further compensation alone.
“Let me state here that we are putting in place modalities to ensure that in future compensation would not only be the responsibility of the Federal Government but the state, local government, PAN and the farmer are also to bear part of the cost of the claims.
“However, poultry farmers are being encouraged to embrace insurance to safeguard their businesses in case of disease outbreaks in line with the federal government’s stand that agriculture should as a business,” he added.