Kano to intensify surveillance over suspected outbreak of bird flu
The Kano State Government says it plans to intensify surveillance across the state, especially among poultry and other bird rearers to curtail spread of avian influenza, also known as bird flu.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, said this in a statement by the public Relations Officer of the ministry, Malam Ibrahim Abdullahi on Tuesday.
“We urge people of the state to remain calm as the case is not a worrisome to be declared outbreak.
“The ministry is on top of the issue and taking proactive measures to confront the disease so as to contain its negative effect before it becomes deadly.
“The ministry has already convened a meeting with Emergency Preparedness Response and One Health committees comprising ministries of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources as well as partners in order to discuss and strategize ways to confronting the issue.
“For now, this was what we have been doing. Meeting would be held every week with the stakeholders, and members of the public would be regularly informed about the issue.
“Surveillance would be intensified in every LGA, especially among poultry and other bird rearers and reports would be sent to these committees on daily basis and inform Gov. Abba Yusuf of the situation,” he said.
The commissioner said that the symptoms of the disease included fever, mucous, redness of eyes among others.
He urged the people especially poultry rearers to be the first surveillance officers in order to safeguard their flocks and wealth by reporting unhealthy birds to relevant authorities for prompt action.
He said that the rumoured outbreak emanated following a report that sometime in December 2024, a young man from Gwale LGA bought a duck from Janguza market in Tofa LGA and introduced it to his stock comprising hens, guinea fowls and chickens.
“Later the man noticed that his birds were showing respiratory distress and then there was mortality; out of 50 birds, 35 died.
“He then decided to bring samples to Gwale veterinary clinic for diagnosis of which in the first week of January 2025, bird flu virus was confirmed on the samples.
“Immediately upon receipt of the result, the state ministry of agriculture proactively sealed the place, depopulated the remaining chickens and decontaminated the compound.
“The ministry also decontaminated the premises of selling live birds in Janguza market and sensitize people on the effects of the disease,” he said.
