Bird Flu Hits Adamawa

From Tom Garba, Yola
A disease suspected to be Avian Influenza has hit Toungo Local Government Area of Adamawa as hundreds of birds have been reported dead.
Investigation by The Dream Daily in Yola showed that the disease has already wiped out some poultry farms in the area.
In 2009 the disease was first recorded in Lavundu village in Girei local government area of the state.
When contacted, the Adamawa State Commissioner for Livestock, Alhaji Isa Salihu on Monday confirmed that there were suspected cases of bird flu in the state.
Salihu told The Dream Daily in Yola that the disease was reported at one poultry farm in Toungo Local Government Area of the state.
He said that a combined team of veterinary experts were deployed to the area to investigate and reported back that it was suspected to be bird flu disease.
He said: “The ministry last week received a report from a poultry farm belonging to one Alhaji Yusuf Toungo that a huge number of birds in the farm are dying. The sample of the death birds from the poultry was taken to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom in Plateau state for further investigation.”
He said that the state government had already taken quarantine measures, including surveillance in the affected areas to contain the disease.
Salihu appealed to the people of the area not to panic and report any suspicious disease to the nearest Local Government Divisional Veterinary Officer for prompt action.