Receding Avian influenza takes 17 of every 100,000 birds

About 17 out of every 100,000 birds in Nigeria have been lost as a result of the receding outbreak of Avian influenza (bird flu) that was first confirmed January this year.

This is because out of the estimated 4.2 billion birds produced annually in the country, about 748,428 birds have died as a result of the disease that broke out recently, but is now under control. This is based on figures released by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the outbreak that came to the fore at the beginning of this year.

Abdulganiyu Abubakar, chief veterinary officer for Nigeria and director, veterinary services of the agric ministry, gave these current figures on the bird flu outbreak.

Abubakar said a total of 748,428 birds were exposed while 668, 791 were depopulated, or exterminated by agric health officials as part of measures to control the spread of the disease.

Findings of the national office of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) revealed through Olufemi Faniyi, South West president of the association, show that about 0.25 million metric tons of chickens are produced annually in Nigeria.

Each bird at day-old weighs about 60 grams, putting the number of chickens produced annually at estimated 4.2 billion chickens.

The outbreak of the disease, which extended to 17 states out of the 36 states excluding the FCT, was confirmed by Akinwumi Adesina, minister of agriculture and rural development. The states include Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Imo, Oyo, and Jigawa.

According to Adesina, Avian influenza would not be transmitted to human consumers as long as poultry meat is thoroughly cooked, saying that direct contact with infected poultry, or surfaces and objects contaminated by their faeces, was presently considered the main route of human infection. He said exposure could potentially occur during slaughter, de-feathering, butchering, and preparation for cooking.

Adesina however said: “There is no evidence to suggest that the avian influenza virus can be transmitted through the consumption of poultry and poultry products as long as standard precautions regarding food storage, handling and preparation are followed.

“It is safe to eat poultry products. However, consumers should ensure that poultry is thoroughly cooked, juice runs clear and no visible pink meat. Internal temperatures for whole chicken should reach 85°C, while for chicken parts the temperature should reach 74°C and eggs should be cooked until the yolk is no longer runny.”

The bird flu epidemic was apparently contained this time around unlike in 2006, when it ran down the poultry industry. The fact that the disease also became prevalent in January when many farmers were either low on stock or out of stock after the Yuletide celebrations is also a good fortune for the industry. Some industry watchers however finger the possibility that the initial carriers of the avian influenza may have been live birds brought into the country during the Yuletide through the nation porous borders as a result of the heavy demand for poultry meat during that period.

Ayoola Oduntan, national president, Poultry Association of Nigeria, said in a telephone interview that poultry farmers resolved firmly to step up bio-security measures, which are preventive measures taken to protect transmission from one farm to the other.

Oduntan said: “Poultry farmers all over Nigeria are stepping up bio-security measures. We have also had several meetings with the agric minister and his team and they have made a firm commitment to tackle the problem. We, the poultry farmers, are also fully committed to combating the disease.”

OLUYINKA ALAWODE