Bird flu: Ebonyi, Plateau confirm bird flu outbreak.Government to shut unregistered poultry farms

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.