Bird Flu Outbreak: 850 birds destroyed at ETY Farms

Eight Hundred and Fifty poultry birds have been destroyed by officers from the Kpone-Katamanso Veterinary Unit at ETY Farms in Saki, a community within the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The destruction was triggered by the outbreak of Avian Influenza H5 subtype in the poultry farm.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Emmanuel Kwao Pecku, Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Veterinary Officer, said the action was taken to curb the spread of the flu into other farms.

He noted that, the entire farm had been fumigated so as to get rid of the virus completely and explained that the outbreak was a big blow to the owner of the farm who happened to be a pensioner.

The Municipal Veterinary Officer explained that the owner of ETY Farms must be commended for his prompt alert when the outbreak struck his farm, adding that other poultry farmers must report suspected cases to the veterinary unit for the needed actions.

Dr Pecku further revealed that some farmers after suspecting their birds have been attacked with the bird flu killed the birds and sold them out to the public for consumption.

He assured that the government through the Agriculture Ministry would facilitate measures to compensate farmers whose birds have been destroyed due to the outbreak of the Avian Influenza within the municipality and other districts in the country.

According to the Veterinary Officer, the unit was in dire need of Personal Preventive Equipment (PPEs) including overall coats, gloves disinfectants amongst other important accessories.

Dr Pecku expressed gratitude to the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly for their support in providing earth moving machines for the depopulation exercise.