300 birds dies of bird flu in Plateau State

Avian influenza, popularly known as bird flu, has killed 300 birds on a farm in Plateau.

Dr Shase’et Sipak, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the state, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Jos.

Sipak said that the outbreak was confirmed by the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, in Jos.

He also said the affected farm was located in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.

“When we got wind of the suspected outbreak at Bassa, we immediately went there and took a sample that was later confirmed positive by the NVRI laboratory.

“It was a 100 per cent morbidity; of the 300 birds, more than 280 died. We later depopulated the remaining ones.

“We also sealed off the farm and took other biosecurity steps to avert further spread of the disease to other farms,” he said.

Sipak called on poultry farmers in the state to take stringent biosecurity steps to prevent the spread and save their birds.

NAN