Nigeria’s Government on Friday alerted Nigerians about the outbreak of Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu in Abuja, and seven other states.
Director of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gideon Mshelbwala, listed the affected states to include:
By the RED ALERT, here are the
18 Ways to prevent poultry against Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
1. The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should create Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) to cover the states where the flu has been discovered so as prevent further spread.
2. Measures should be put in place to minimise movement in and out of bird enclosures.
3. Poultry workers should be mandated to clean their footwears.
4. Areas where birds live should be kept clean and tidy always.
5. Birds should be fed indoors.
6. Poultry gatherings in the localised AIPZ areas of Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Plateau, FCT and Kaduna should be banned and restricted within the area.
7. Poultry managers shouldn’t allow their workers take their birds to gatherings elsewhere so as to prevent further spread.
8. Ensure and observe strict disease prevention measures.
In addition to the above, Premium Times listed other preventable measures of bird flu thus:
9. Avoid wild and domesticated birds, especially birds that appear ill or dead.
10. Cook poultry food thoroughly until the juice are clear with a minimum internal temperature of 74 degrees (165 F), heat kills avian viruses.
11. Wash your hands with alcohol based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 per cent alcohol especially after contact with poultry foods.
12. Avoid small rural area farms and open air market especially places where live poultry are raised, kept or sold.
13. Get influenza vaccine where available. A vaccine shot will help reduce the risk of simultaneous infection with bird and human flu viruses.
14. Steer clear of raw eggs, avoid food containing raw or under-cooked eggs because eggshells are often contaminated with bird droppings.
15. Avoid cross-contamination of utensils and surfaces which have come in contact with raw poultry or poultry droppings.
16. Avoid close contact with family members diagnosed or who have been or suspected to be exposed to avian influenza viruses.
17. Report health-related cases or any flu-like symptoms.
18. Above all, abide by best practices on biosecurity measures.
Let’s abide by the above bird flu preventable measures in Nigeria.