Report Any Case Of Bird Flu

THE Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources Delta State, Hon Austin Chikezie has urged stakeholders in poultry business to report any case of bird sickness and unusual death pattern of birds in their places of business.

The commissioner said this in a statement issued yesterday in Asaba in view of the recent outbreaks of Bird Flu in some farms in Delta North over the last few months.

Chikezie, who revealed that Bird Flu was confirmed in a farm in Okpanam area in Oshimili North Local Government Area, Okwe in Oshimili South Local Government Area, Power Line in Ika North East Local Government Area and another farm in Ika South Local Government Area, stated that the affected farms have been depopulated and disinfected by the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in line with the policy on Bird Flu control, saying that all destroyed birds a were paid for by the Federal Government based on laid down rates.

He stated that investigation is still ongoing on the sources of the current outbreaks as well as monitoring of all the poultry farms and markets in the state, even as he urged stakeholders to report any suspicion to the government veterinary clinic or private veterinary personnel nearest to them or call the desk officer on Bird Flu dedicated line, 09039978489

He assured Deltans that poultry meat and poultry products are safe for consumption so long as they are healthy and well cooked, saying that movement of poultry products have been restricted in the affected areas.

Chikezie advised that as a preventive measure, all farms are to ensure strict form of hygiene always and the washing of hands with soap and water after handling poultry birds and poultry products.