NIGERIA: "FLU KILLS 200,000 Fowls

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   Bird Flu Hits Nigeria, Kills 200,000 Fowls

By Moses Jolayemi in Lagos, Josephine Lohor in Abuja and Agaju Madugba 

in Kaduna, 02.08.2006

Like a whirl wind, the highly dreaded bird flu ravaging parts of Europe 

and Asia has hit the country killing no fewer than 200,000 birds. 

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), a Paris-

based organization,  this has the first time the disease is been detected in 

Africa. 

The body said the type detected in the country  was the "highly 

pathogenic" strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus, which can kill humans 

adding that it was found on a farm in the Northern state of Kaduna, 

where a team of experts had been sent. 

Government officials at the Kaduna State ministries of health and 

agriculture  also yesterday confirmed the outbreak of the dreaded disease 

which they said was found at  Sambawa Farms and other locations at Jaji, 

near Kaduna. 

Confirming the outbreak  yesterday, the Federal Government announced 

that the Avian Influenza or Bird Flu had been detected in the country and 

disclosed that N2 billion had been immediately set aside as initial funds 

to be given out as compensation to affected farmers on the basis of N250 

per bird in order to conserve their capital.

Sambawa Farms is believed to be owned by the Minister 

of Sports, Alhaji Saidu Samaila Sambawa. Journalists who visited the farms 

yesteday were denied access and no official information was given.

The Ministers of Agriculture and Information and National Orientation, 

Adamu Bello and Frank Nweke respectively, who disclosed these shortly 

after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said that the 

confirmation of the existence of the Bird Flu in Nigeria which took place 

on Tuesday  came after tests were conducted in the National Vetinary 

Institute, Vom, Plateau State and  at the Food and Agricultural Diagonistic 

Centre in Rome.

The ministers said the tests that began on January 16, 2006, arose from 

complaints about the death of birds in Sambawa Farms in Jaji, Kaduna 

State, chicks of which were traced to Kano State, just as tests were going 

on to determine the cause of death of birds in Jos, Plateau State.

The Minister of Agriculture on his part, said that �investigation has been 

going on for quite some time in this farm (Sambawa). Initially we thought 

it was New Castle or Cholera, but some of them exhibited symptoms of 

Avian Influenza and the mortality rate at the farm continued to rise.

�In line with our policy, what we did when we found that there was high 

mortality at Sambawa Farms was to quarantine it. We did this even before 

it was confirmed it was Avian Influenza. We put into motion the actions 

that were put in place. That farm was quarantined and nothing was going 

in and outside the farm and the mortality continued to increase�.

He added that �even as I talk to you, there is no single bird on that farm. 

They all died or were slaughtered. There are rules for slaughtering such 

birds because of the sensitive nature. Otherwise you will be spreading the 

disease.

�The Council today (yesterday) approved that we stamp out or slaughter 

virtually every bird in every farm that is suspected to have been infected 

with Avian Influenza, quarantine it and ensure that we stamp all the 

livestock in that farm. Of course there will be full compensation paid for 

the slaughtered birds at the rate of N250 per bird. We will impose 

restriction of movement in any place that is strongly suspected to be 

harbouring Avian influenza until checks are done.

There are procedures for this�, the Agriculture Minister added.

Although allaying fears that the bird flu that occurred in Nigeria in 1982 

and was successfully contained has so far not been detected in human 

beings, the Minister of Agriculture however advised that birds must be 

properly cooked before consumption.

According to him �there is absolutely no need for panic. Once it is 

cooked, there is no harm because the disease is non-resistant to heat. It 

just kills itself off. If it is cooked, there is no danger of people getting 

infected�.

While disclosing that all Chief Vetinary Officers have been asked to take 

immediate surveillance of their respective States, the Federal Government 

also announced that the Federal Ministry of Health has already made 

contingency arrangements in case the Bird Flu affects humans.

Giving his own account, the Minister of Information and National 

Orientation said that �you will recall that sometime last year, in the light 

of information coming from Asia as well as some parts of Europe, the 

Federal Government took pre-emptive steps to set up a committee, a 

kind of emergency preparedness or rapid response committee to think of 

what the country would do in a very logical manner in the event that the 

Evian flu epidemic which is ravaging bird population in Asia and Europe 

occurs in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, officials of the Kaduna state ministries who spoke on the 

condition of annonimity yesterday said relevant government agencies had 

already taken appropriate measures to control the spread of the disease. 

There are fears that the disease could easily spread in Africa because of a 

lack of safeguards. 

"What is most important now is not how it got into Nigeria, but how it can 

be prevented from leaving Nigeria," Cape Town ornithologist Phil Hockey 

told Reuters.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=40245

Edited by Rick

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: NIGERIA: "FLU KILLS 200,000 Fowls Posted: February 08 2006 at 6:47pm
	Bird Flu Hits Nigeria, Kills 200,000 Fowls By Moses Jolayemi in Lagos, Josephine Lohor in Abuja and Agaju Madugba in Kaduna, 02.08.2006 Like a whirl wind, the highly dreaded bird flu ravaging parts of Europe and Asia has hit the country killing no fewer than 200,000 birds. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), a Paris- based organization, this has the first time the disease is been detected in Africa. The body said the type detected in the country was the "highly pathogenic" strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus, which can kill humans adding that it was found on a farm in the Northern state of Kaduna, where a team of experts had been sent. Government officials at the Kaduna State ministries of health and agriculture also yesterday confirmed the outbreak of the dreaded disease which they said was found at Sambawa Farms and other locations at Jaji, near Kaduna. Confirming the outbreak yesterday, the Federal Government announced that the Avian Influenza or Bird Flu had been detected in the country and disclosed that N2 billion had been immediately set aside as initial funds to be given out as compensation to affected farmers on the basis of N250 per bird in order to conserve their capital. Sambawa Farms is believed to be owned by the Minister of Sports, Alhaji Saidu Samaila Sambawa. Journalists who visited the farms yesteday were denied access and no official information was given. The Ministers of Agriculture and Information and National Orientation, Adamu Bello and Frank Nweke respectively, who disclosed these shortly after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said that the confirmation of the existence of the Bird Flu in Nigeria which took place on Tuesday came after tests were conducted in the National Vetinary Institute, Vom, Plateau State and at the Food and Agricultural Diagonistic Centre in Rome. The ministers said the tests that began on January 16, 2006, arose from complaints about the death of birds in Sambawa Farms in Jaji, Kaduna State, chicks of which were traced to Kano State, just as tests were going on to determine the cause of death of birds in Jos, Plateau State. The Minister of Agriculture on his part, said that �investigation has been going on for quite some time in this farm (Sambawa). Initially we thought it was New Castle or Cholera, but some of them exhibited symptoms of Avian Influenza and the mortality rate at the farm continued to rise. �In line with our policy, what we did when we found that there was high mortality at Sambawa Farms was to quarantine it. We did this even before it was confirmed it was Avian Influenza. We put into motion the actions that were put in place. That farm was quarantined and nothing was going in and outside the farm and the mortality continued to increase�. He added that �even as I talk to you, there is no single bird on that farm. They all died or were slaughtered. There are rules for slaughtering such birds because of the sensitive nature. Otherwise you will be spreading the disease. �The Council today (yesterday) approved that we stamp out or slaughter virtually every bird in every farm that is suspected to have been infected with Avian Influenza, quarantine it and ensure that we stamp all the livestock in that farm. Of course there will be full compensation paid for the slaughtered birds at the rate of N250 per bird. We will impose restriction of movement in any place that is strongly suspected to be harbouring Avian influenza until checks are done. There are procedures for this�, the Agriculture Minister added. Although allaying fears that the bird flu that occurred in Nigeria in 1982 and was successfully contained has so far not been detected in human beings, the Minister of Agriculture however advised that birds must be properly cooked before consumption. According to him �there is absolutely no need for panic. Once it is cooked, there is no harm because the disease is non-resistant to heat. It just kills itself off. If it is cooked, there is no danger of people getting infected�. While disclosing that all Chief Vetinary Officers have been asked to take immediate surveillance of their respective States, the Federal Government also announced that the Federal Ministry of Health has already made contingency arrangements in case the Bird Flu affects humans. Giving his own account, the Minister of Information and National Orientation said that �you will recall that sometime last year, in the light of information coming from Asia as well as some parts of Europe, the Federal Government took pre-emptive steps to set up a committee, a kind of emergency preparedness or rapid response committee to think of what the country would do in a very logical manner in the event that the Evian flu epidemic which is ravaging bird population in Asia and Europe occurs in Nigeria. Meanwhile, officials of the Kaduna state ministries who spoke on the condition of annonimity yesterday said relevant government agencies had already taken appropriate measures to control the spread of the disease. There are fears that the disease could easily spread in Africa because of a lack of safeguards. "What is most important now is not how it got into Nigeria, but how it can be prevented from leaving Nigeria," Cape Town ornithologist Phil Hockey told Reuters. http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=40245 Edited by Rick