Sokoto starts fumigation against bird flu

Sokoto government has started fumigating poultries against bird flu (Avian Influenza) and revived disease reporting desks to tackle a possible outbreak in the state.

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This was disclosed to newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday, by the Commissioner for Animal Health and Fisheries Development, Professor Abdulkadir Junaidu.

The Commissioner said, though no case of bird flu had been reported in the state, reports received across the country and from neighbouring states, necessitated the steps taken.

“Twenty-seven states and 85 local government areas are already affected across the federation in 382 outbreaks leading to the destruction of 1.8 million birds.”

“Bird flu is a disease of public importance with serious economic implications,’’ Junaidu said.

He noted that the exercise had so far covered 20 large-scale poultry farms in the state, live birds markets, abattoirs and other places that could get easily infected.

Junaidu explained that the infection could pose an economic risk because owners of poultry farms might be out of business, while auxiliary workers and markets could be endangered.

“Each chicken can be valued between N2, 500 and N3, 000 and considering the number of chicken that could be affected, poultry farm owners could suffer huge losses. The disinfection effort is to ensure that the state is protected and can contain an outbreak. The state has transported samples to the Diseases Diagnostic Centre in Vom, Jos, on eight occasions and the results were all negative,’’ the commissioner said.

He urged poultry farmers to register with statutory government agencies to benefit from possible government support and compensation interventions.

NAN