Ghana confirms first bird flu case

Ghana has confirmed her first bird flu case.

Officials of the World Health Organisation and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture announced at a press conference Wednesday afternoon, a strain of the deadly “H5N1” or Avian Influenza has been discovered at a poultry farm at Tema.

The authorities however assured the public that the situation is under control after measures were put in place since 2005 to monitor any reported cases.

The announcement followed laboratory tests at the Noguchi Medical Laboratories in Accra after the discovery on Tuesday, at the 'small poultry farm.'

Authorities said all birds at the farm, numbering over 1700, have been incinerated already and the farm itself quarantined. Also quarantined are all other poultry farms in the Tema Municipality, which has been declared a bird flu area, as a safety measure.

Sale of live birds has been banned in the municipality, and authorities say they are investigating if the virus has already spread to other parts of the municipality.

Nigeria, Niger and Egypt are among other countries in Africa with reported cases.