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…as poultry farmers count losses 

By Festus Ahon, ASABA

Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Julius Egbedi confirmed the outbreak of Avian Influenza, also known as Bird Flu, decrying that over 164,473 birds have so far been killed by the Influenza in poultry farms across seven Local Government Areas of the state.

Egbedi who made the confirmation at a press briefing in Asaba the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, Asaba, said the affected farms were located in Udu, Oshimili South, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Okpe and Sapele Local Government Areas.

Saying that samples from the reported farms had been sent to the National Veterinary Institute, Jos, and all were confirmed to be the H5N1 strain of the Avian Influenza, he said the state government, through its Department of Veterinary Services, had disinfected the affected farms and had also forbidden the operation of poultry farms for the next three months in the affected farms.

Egbedi who was flanked by his Information counterpart, Mr Charles Aniagwu and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, said more efforts were underway to contain the situation with collaboration from all the Local Government council Chairmen.

He said; “from what we have discovered, 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.

‘’We are using this medium to enlighten 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’’.

On his part, the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said the state government was putting measures in place to ameliorate the loss of the affected farmers, adding that they have contributed to the prosperity vision of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.

Aniagwu said: “The State Government will meet them halfway because we believe that their actions have helped us to mop unemployment by creating jobs for our people. The fact that the government is making efforts to curtail spread by disinfecting farms means that we are already intervening and taking action.

‘’We are not only sympathizing with the affected farmers but we are also assuring them that, as a government, we will take those steps that will ensure that we are able to sustain poultry and the agricultural sector in the state’’.

Vanguard News Nigeria