The Rivers State Government on Tuesday ordered the quarantine and decontamination of a private farm after it confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza popularly known as bird flu there.
State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Emma Chinda, who confirmed the development in Port Harcourt, explained that samples, which were taken from a Port Harcourt poultry farm to the Veterinary Research Institute in Plateau State proved the existence of bird flu.
At the moment it is believed that no human has been infected.
“On January 14, (2015), we got a report from a farm that was worrisome. The report we got suggested that the farm may have been infected by the highly pathogenic avian influenza.
“Unfortunately, the result came out on January 17 (2015) and it read positive of highly pathogenic avian influenza. On the basis of that, we had to take necessary steps.
“Apart from quarantining the farm, we had to depopulate (eliminate) the birds in the farm to stop further spread. Thereafter, we decontaminated the farm,” Chinda narrated.
Chinda appealed to members of the public to make sure that their poultry animals, including eggs must be thoroughly boiled before consumption, saying their is no cause for alarm as the government will do everything possible to curtail the its spread.