Bird flu: Rivers depopulates 7000 birds

Poultry farmers in Port Harcourt, the River State capital, are under alert following the reoccurrence of highly pathogenic poultry disease. Mr. Emma Chinda, the River State Commissioner for Agriculture, confirmed the outbreaks in Port Harcourt, adding that samples confirmed the existence of bird flu (avian influenza). Two farms in Choba and Obia Akpor areas of […]

Poultry farmers in Port Harcourt, the River State capital, are under alert following the reoccurrence of highly pathogenic poultry disease.
Mr. Emma Chinda, the River State Commissioner for Agriculture, confirmed the outbreaks in Port Harcourt, adding that samples confirmed the existence of bird flu (avian influenza).
Two farms in Choba and Obia Akpor areas of the state are said to be hit by the highly pathogenic avian influenza disease that has also affected many farms in Kano, Lagos, Plateau and few other states in recent months.
Speaking to Daily Trust in Abuja, Dr. Abdulganiyu Abubakar, the Director of Veterinary and Pest Control Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the outbreak affected backyard poultry farms not commercial farms.
Dr. Abubakar stressed that although the current outbreak affected birds in a backyard poultry farms in Choba and Obia Akpor, the federal government is taking it seriously because this is a disease that can kill thousands of bird within a short time.
He said the ministry has adopted a number of measures to halt further spread to commercial farms in the state.
According to him, the birds were depopulated and the affected farms have also been decontaminated.
  Dr Uko, the Desk Officer handling the development in Port Harcourt, stated that about 7,000 birds have been depopulated between the two farms.
Uko said the case is suspected to be the H5N1 strain of the disease, which is highly pathetic, adding that they are still awaiting the confirmation result from the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom in Plateau State, where the samples are taken to.