Ten people who work on farms affected with the avian influenza or bird flu have been asked to stay on the affected farms while they await screening by health officials.
The individuals were directed to stay at their residence which is on the farm, after their involvement in the destruction of birds on two of the affected farms located at Kpone Katamanto District near Tema in the Greater Accra Region.
They have since Monday, June been on the farm awaiting the scheduled screening to be done by health officers within the next two days.
Dr Bashiru Boi Kiki-Moto, Head of Public Health at the Veterinary Service, said the restriction order was mainly to curb the possible spread of the disease to other farms.
Dr Kiki-Moto said the individuals have been taken through the necessary measures to protect themselves while on the farm.
He said the farms have been quarantined and not the individuals, adding that the people who came into contact with the birds were being monitored by health officials.
‘If they are negative, they will be directed to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) for further actions to be taken and if they are positive they will be treated by the health officials of GHS,’ he said.
Dr Kiki-Moto said farmers and veterinary officers were on high alert to contain the outbreak.
He also advised farmers whose farms have not been affected to strengthen the safety and security measures to avoid contracting the disease.
Ghana’s veterinary officers have culled over 1,000 birds with over 50 crates of eggs and bags of feed have been destroyed at Kpone in the Greater Accra Region following the confirmation of bird flu in the country by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Laboratory in Italy.
The public have been advised not to panic but to ensure they adhere to the preventive measures put in place by government.
Source: modernghana.com
