Jan. 18, 2022

The Kaduna State Government has confirmed the outbreak of Avian Bird Flu, with an estimated population of 107,807 birds in farms in three Local Government Areas of the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ibrahim Hussaini, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting with the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) on Tuesday in Kaduna.

He said that the affected farms are located in Chikun, Igabi and Lere Local Government Areas of the state.

He said that tests were conducted by the National Research Veterinary Institute and were positive to highly pathogenic AI.

He was represented by Pakachi Zakariya, Director, Veterinary and Livestock Services, in the ministry.

He said the three farms have being depopulated and decontaminated and awaiting the result of the fourth farm.

“We have sealed operations in those farms and more efforts are underway to contain the situation with collaboration with the Ministry of Health.”

“We have discovered that wild birds are the primary hosts of Avian Influenza.

“We suspect that these wild birds may have gotten in contact with some birds in the poultry and that may have been the genesis of the outbreak.

“The meeting is to notify our poultry farmers across the state to take all necessary measures in protecting their farms.

“They should not bring in birds which they suspect to have been infected or allow people from infected farms into their farms,’’ he said.

He advised all farmers in the state not to be afraid of losses as there is a compensation policy for poultry farmers to reduce the impact of their loses.

Hussaini urged farmers to immediately report suspected cases to the Ministry for timely intervention.

He said that the State Government takes livestock development seriously as the poultry value chain is a priority chain.

“The fact that the government is making efforts to curtail spread by disinfecting farms means that we are already intervening and taking actions.”

Mr Abel Williams, deputy director of the service, said that the first outbreak was confirmed in Kaiaga in Lere Local Government Area of the state, with a stock of 5,000 with mortality of 1,000 birds.

“The second case was confirmed on Jan. 6 in the federal housing estate in Gonin gora, Chikun LGA with a stock of 1,807 birds with mortality of 150 birds.

He said that the third case was on Jan. 7, at Magaje memorial farms in Maraban Jos of Igabi LGA, with a stock size of 82,000 birds with a death rate of 32,000 birds.

Williams said that on Jan. 15, another case was recorded in Sutawa in Lere LGA with 14,000 stocks of birds with a death rate of 4,000.

The Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Musa Bala, assured that the association would continue to sensitise its members to the dangers of bird flu.

The Ministry has donated disinfectants to the association. (NAN)