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No cause for alarm, government insists after five birds test positive for bird flu

By MyJoyOnline
General News No cause for alarm, government insists after five birds test positive for bird flu
MAY 27, 2015 LISTEN

Government says it is doing everything possible to contain any outbreak of bird flu on humans in the country.

The statement comes after the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Research confirmed five positive test on birds .

A National Technical Committee has been activated to lead the effort and will comprise of officials from the Ministry of Health, leaders in the poultry industry and officials from the National Disaster Mangement Organisation (NADMO).

Government officials are advising farmers to watch out for sick birds on their farms after some of the infected birds were found in poultry farms at Achimota, McCarthy Hill and Kpone Katamanso, all in Accra.

Symptoms of infected birds include ruffled feathers, soft-shelled eggs, depression and droopiness, sudden drop in egg production, loss, sudden death and nasal discharges

The virus for now is from bird to bird but will pose danger to humans if careless handling of infected birds transmits the deadly disease.

Mortality chance once infected has been put at 60%.

Officials of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Research say they will soon examine handlers of birds in the infected farms to confirm whether the virus has been transferred from birds to humans.

Ghana experienced an outbreak of bird flu in 2007 after infected birds were found on farms in Tema and Sunyani municipalities and the Ketu district.

About 13, 371 birds were reported dead as a result of the outbreak while 27,356 birds were destroyed by the veterinary services as part of the control measures

Ghanaians were spared the danger of bird to human transmission.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]

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