TheCable

In a bid to contain the outbreak of bird flu disease in the commercial nerve of Nigeria, about 2,000 birds have been killed in a poultry farm in the Badore area of Lagos state.

On Thursday, the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development announced that Kano and Lagos had recorded cases of H5 strain of Avian Influenza Virus, otherwise known as bird flu.

The ministry said that samples it forwarded to the national veterinary research institute tested positive for the virus.

But speaking on Friday during a press briefing, Gbolahan Lawal, Lagos commissioner for agriculture and cooperative, said the government had embarked on measures to control the situation and prevent it from degenerating.

“A team of eight technical staff, comprising of representatives of the Federal Livestock Department, National Quarantine Service and the National Veterinary Research Institute is currently in the state on disease assessment and surveillance,” he said.

“To complement these activities, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is collaborating with the State Ministry of Health, the Lagos State branch of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, National Agriculture Insurance Corporation (NAIC) and Lagos State Fowl Sellers Association.”

Lawal said some farms were under watch list, but he refused to name them. He also refused to name the farm where 2,000 birds were killed.

He asked residents of the state not to panic but to only be cautious.

“Samples collected from a poultry farm in Badore have also been confirmed positive and a Zoological park based in Victoria Garden City currently experiencing high mortality of wild birds in captivity is on the suspicion list and it is being investigated,” he said.

“Sensitisation of poultry farmers and fowl sellers is being vigorously embarked on by the Surveillance and Extension Agents deployed by the ministry to cover the entire state. Disinfection of all live bird markets in the state is already on going.

“All poultry farmers and fowl sellers are hereby enjoined to adhere strictly to biosecurity measures and report unusual incidence of high mortalities of birds. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Health have deployed surveillance agents to the various parts of the state.”