Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger has announced the outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) in a cluster of poultry farms in the state.
The Information Officer, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Abubakar Kuta, stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Minna.
Newsmen report that poultry in the state was infected by type A flu.
The statement disclosed that thousands of birds in the state, worth millions of naira, had been lost to the flu.
It advised poultry farmers to be vigilant and report any sudden high mortality of their birds to the ministry.
The statement urged farmers to maintain strict farm hygiene and restrict vehicles and people’s movement into their farms.
It also told them to disinfect farm premises, utensils to check the transmission of the virus and cautioned farmers against the exchange of egg crates and other equipment from other farms.
