Bird Flu Outbreak - 11 States Affected

Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development,Akinwumi Adesina, on
Wednesday confirmed the outbreak of
bird flu in 11 states of the federation.
Adesina announced that the Federal
Government had approved N145 million
to compensate farmers affected by the
outbreak of the disease.
He made the disclosure at an
emergency meeting on Avian Influenza
with state commissioners for agriculture
in Abuja.
The minister directed that the
compensation should be paid to the
farmers within 72 hours.
Adesina named the states affected by
the outbreak of the disease as Kano,
Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Plateau,
Gombe, Imo, Oyo and Jigawa states.
He explained that the compensation
was for 39 farms across nine states
where depopulation was carried out as
a measure to control the outbreak.
The minister said that the affected
farmers would get N1.4 million each.
"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,'' Adesina
said.
According to him, 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.
Adesina urged the citizenry to imbibe
high level of hygiene, calling on
stakeholders to cooperate with
government to quickly control the
outbreak.
He urged the private sector to cash in
on the opportunity to establish
veterinary laboratories across the
country for easy and faster diagnosis of
animal diseases.

Posted by Unknown on Thursday, 29 January 2015 - Rating: 4.5

Title : Bird Flu Outbreak - 11 States Affected
Description : Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,Akinwumi Adesina, on Wednesday confirmed the outbreak of bird flu in 11 states of the federati...

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