By: Ishmael Newton Ogah
Dr. Asiedu Baah, a Municipal Veterinary doctor at the Yilo Krobo Municipality has stated that, even though new cases of the contagious bird flu, avian influenza disease were being confirmed in some parts of the country, they had not yet received any reported cases of the contagious disease from either the poultry farmers or the public in the district.
According to him, the district has organized a training workshop within the district to educate and inform the poultry farmers association about the outbreak of the contagious disease. He said this is done to help the farmers in the district to beware of the disease and also identify any bird with the symptoms of the disease as soon as it affects them.
Citing some of the symptoms of the disease, he mentioned mass deaths among the birds, reduction in egg production, an increased demand for water by affected birds, dropping become dark- brownish in appearance, among others.
Mr. Assiedu Baah said there was no cure for the contagious disease though there are vaccines available. He added that the only means available are controls and preventive measures. He entreated the general public to take precautions when handling the affected birds since the virus can be deadly even to humans.
He said there have been reported cases of high deaths among affected birds around the globe and prayed the authorities and poultry farmers in general to take prevented measures against the spread of the disease.
His recommendation was for the general public to avoid buying live birds from market centers, but rather buy from the poultry houses in order to avoid contracting the disease.
The Accra veterinary laboratory has disclosed that the test result of sample reported avian flu cases taken to the laboratory have proved positive.
Over 24,000 birds examined with some sample taken at Ofankor, Kpone and a backyard farm in Tema community 2, all in the Greater Accra Region, have confirmed the outbreak of the contagious influenza.
Source: ritefmonline.org
