Bird flu hits 11 states in Nigeria; Agric Minister confirms

by Chinwe Okafor

File photo
File photo

 

The bird flu outbreak (Avian Influenza) has hit 11 states of the federation, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development confirms.

In an announcement made to reveal the statistics at an emergency meeting with the state commissioners for agriculture in the capital city, Akinwumi Adesina said that the Federal Government had approved N145 million to compensate farmers affected by the outbreak of the disease.

The compensation would take effect within 72 hours to 39 farmers each taking N1.4million naira each and with the various states affected being Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Imo, Oyo and Jigawa states.

The compensation would affect states where depopulation was carried out as a measure to control the outbreak. According to the minister, “We want all those who are exposed to report. The Federal Government just like we dealt with Ebola are on top of the situation. We are not in a state of an epidemic and will collaborate with states and our development partners to ensure that there is no room for panic.”

The minister disclosed that as at Jan. 21, a total of 139, 505 birds had been exposed with 22, 173 mortality recorded and as at Jan. 27, 232,385 were exposed and 51, 444 mortality recorded.

He said the ministry was working closely with State Governments, the Poultry Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association and the Animal Science Association of Nigeria to contain the spread of the flu.

The minister said he had directed a nationwide comprehensive surveillance, quarantine, de-population and decontamination of affected poultry farms.

He said that poultry products if cooked well was safe for consumption, adding that the main channel of infection was direct contact with infected surfaces or objects contaminated with feces of infected birds.

He pleaded that high level of hygiene should be adhered to urging stakeholders to cooperate with government in order to control the outbreak quickly.

He also called on the private sector to help invest financially to establish veterinary laboratories across the country for easy and faster diagnosis of animal diseases.

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