Ghana investigates bird flu case
ACCRA, May 01 -- Information reaching Joy News says the Veterinary Services Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is investigating a case of bird flu infection in Ghana. A discovery was said to have been made at the port city of Tema. Joy News sources at the Veterinary Services Department say even though initial checks suggest it might be bird flu, further checks will be needed for a definite conclusion to be reached. According to the sources a blood specimen is being readied for analysis at the World Health Organisation’s laboratories in Italy.
Bird flu is a deadly strain of a virus that attacks poultry and kills them after a short period.
The deadly H5N1 bird flu can kill humans and has killed at least 88 people in Asia and the Middle East since 2003.
There is presently a ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products including feathers into Ghana from countries that have previously reported infections including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt and Niger. Meanwhile a four-day forum has been held at Jema in the Kintampo South District of Brong Ahafo to sensitise 45 assembly members and heads of department on the Avian Influenza.
The forum, organized by the Kintampo South District Agricultural Development Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, would enable the participants to keep surveillance on the disease and help in its prevention.
Mr. John Kweku Appiah, district director of the Ministry, explained that the forum was meant to reinforce public awareness about the bird flu so they could collaborate with agricultural extension officers to detect, prevent and control the disease.
Mr. Appiah advised the general public to properly boil and cook eggs before consumption and advised the participants to educate their people to report symptoms of any strange disease among their birds to the veterinary services.
Mr. Yaw Adjei-Duffour, District Chief Executive, expressed regret about how the poultry industry nearly collapsed some years back because of rumours that the disease had been detected in the country. He appealed to the participants to help erase any wrong perceptions about the disease in the communities. The District Chief Executive advised the youth to go into poultry keeping to improve their livelihood. - myjoyonline
A discovery was said to have been made at the port city of Tema.
Joy News sources at the Veterinary Services Department say even though initial checks suggest it might be bird flu, further checks will be needed for a definite conclusion to be reached.
According to the sources a blood specimen is being readied for analysis at the World Health Organisation’s laboratories in Italy.
The above comments suggest H5N1 has been detected in Ghana. Most samples sent to WHO labs for confirmation are locally positive, and most samples are confirmed, especially when the positive host is a bird.
Qinghai H5N1 in Ghana is not unexpected. H5N1 has been confirmed in the Ivory Coast to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, and Nigeria and Cameroon to the east. Moreover Ghana is within the intersection of the Black Sea / Mediterranean Flyway as well as the East Atlantic Flyway.
The sequence of H5N1 in Ghana would be of interest. The first human H5N1 case was reported in Nigeria earlier this year, and the H5N1 contained a number of regional polymorphisms, including some also found in Egypt. H5N1 in Egypt this season is markedly more complex, and sequences from Ghana can be compared to 2006 isolates from neighboring countries in western Africa.
The World Health Organization is expected to make a pronouncement today on what is suspected to be Ghana’s first case of avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu.
Bird flu is a deadly strain of virus that attacks poultry birds and kills them after a short period.
Officials of the Veterinary Services Department have since Monday bee investigating a case in Tema where some birds are suspected to have died from the virus.
Preliminary tests by veterinary officials suggest Ghana might be recording its first case of the virus. The officials however said a confirmation is required from the WHO laboratory in Italy before any such conclusion can be reached.
The case of suspected bird flu was discovered on a small poultry farm along the Tema Akosombo road.
A specimen collected from the farm has already been sent for further analysis with the results expected later on Wednesday. Officials of the Veterinary Department spent almost the whole of Tuesday investigating farms and poultry within the environs of the first suspected case to ensure there had been no further spread.
If confirmed, Ghana will be the latest country in the sub-region to have the virus. All of Ghana’s neighbors have already reported cases of bird flu infection.
Nigeria, Niger and Egypt are the other countries in Africa with reported cases.
An emergency news conference on the bird flu situation in the country is scheduled for this afternoon. It will be addressed by the Ministers of Health and Agriculture, the Director of Public Health and the WHO country representative.
“H5N1” the deadly strain of Avian Influenza is highly contagious among birds, and can be deadly to them. The virus does not usually infect people, but infections with these viruses have occurred in humans.
Most of these cases have however resulted from people having direct or close contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces.
First H5N1 case in Ghana confirmed in poultry: WHO
2 May 2007 | 20:11 | FOCUS News Agency
Accra. Ghana's first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed by local laboratories and a U.S. naval laboratory in Egypt, a World Health Organization official said on Wednesday cited by Reuters.
Some 1,600 birds had already been incinerated at the infected chicken farm 20 km (13 miles) east of the capital Accra near the port of Tema, Dr Harry Opata, WHO disease prevention and control officer, told Reuters.
First H5N1 case in Ghana confirmed in poultry: WHO
2 May 2007 | 20:11 | FOCUS News Agency
Accra. Ghana's first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed by local laboratories and a U.S. naval laboratory in Egypt, a World Health Organization official said on Wednesday cited by Reuters.
Some 1,600 birds had already been incinerated at the infected chicken farm 20 km (13 miles) east of the capital Accra near the port of Tema, Dr Harry Opata, WHO disease prevention and control officer, told Reuters.
NAMRU-3 had just set up a lab there a few days ago. Look for Ghana sequences coming from NAMRU-3.
Tema, May 02, GNA - Officials at the Central Veterinary Service in Tema are investigating an alleged Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) outbreak within the municipality.
Some officials told the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday that, the Service had not recorded any Bird Flu outbreak as reported by some private radio stations in Accra.
According to them, they had sensitised poultry farm owners within the municipality on the symptoms and handling of affected birds. They contended that post mortem conducted on some dead fowls by the Service did not suggest an outbreak of the disease as speculated. The officials assured the public, especially those within the municipality not to be alarmed as investigations were still on going.
First H5N1 case in Ghana confirmed in poultry: WHO
2 May 2007 | 20:11 | FOCUS News Agency
Accra. Ghana's first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed by local laboratories and a U.S. naval laboratory in Egypt, a World Health Organization official said on Wednesday cited by Reuters. Some 1,600 birds had already been incinerated at the infected chicken farm 20 km (13 miles) east of the capital Accra near the port of Tema, Dr Harry Opata, WHO disease prevention and control officer, told Reuters.
First H5N1 case in Ghana confirmed in poultry-WHO
02 May 2007 17:44:42 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds details)
ACCRA, May 2 (Reuters) - Ghana's first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed in sick chickens by local laboratories and a U.S. naval laboratory in Egypt, a World Health Organisation official said on Wednesday.
Some 1,600 birds had already been incinerated as part of efforts to control the outbreak on a farm 20 km (13 miles) east of Ghana's capital Accra, near the port of Tema, Dr Harry Opata, WHO disease prevention and control officer, told Reuters.
"It's confirmed," Opata said. "Initial confirmation was done by the veterinary lab here in Accra ... and supported by a U.S. naval services laboratory in Cairo, Egypt." "We'll assume the whole farm was infected ... about 100 chickens a day were dying in the past 3-4 days," he said.
At least 200 million birds have died or been culled because of the H5N1 strain as it has spread from Asia around much of the world during recent years. The first case in Africa was detected in poultry in early 2006 in Nigeria.
The human death toll stands at 172. Experts are worried that weak human and animal health services in sub-Saharan Africa may allow the virus to go unnoticed -- giving it more chance to mutate into a form that could pass between people and trigger a human pandemic.
But so far just one human death from the disease has been recorded in sub-Saharan Africa, in Nigeria. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0242608.htm
Last edited by Treyfish; May 3rd, 2007 at 09:23 AM.
The first case of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza has been found in Ghana, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday.
Infected birds were found on a chicken farm near the port of Tema, east of the capital Accra. The birds were being destroyed.
The bird flu case was the first reported in the West African nation, which has banned the importation of poultry from countries that previously reported infections, including Nigeria, Egypt and China.
Since 2003, there have been 291 confirmed human cases of bird flu worldwide, resulting in 172 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Health officials fear that if the H5N1 strain mutates, it could spread rapidly from person to person.
The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has spread to fowl in the West African nation of Ghana.
Earlier this week, Ghanaian officials said they were investigating a suspected outbreak of the disease in birds around the eastern port city of Tema. Though H5N1 had been documented elsewhere in the region, Ghana had not previously had a case confirmed, said Dr. George Amofa, head of public health for Ghana's Health Ministry.
Sophia Twum-Barimah, a spokeswoman for WHO in Ghana's capital, Accra, said the virus was first detected by a Ghanian lab and then confirmed by an Egyptian research center.
H5N1 has killed at least 172 people worldwide since it began its spread through Asian poultry in 2003, according to WHO. Most human deaths come from contact with infected birds, but experts fear H5N1 could mutate into a form that spreads easily among people.
Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, was the first on the continent to report an outbreak of the disease last year. Outbreaks have also been reported in Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Niger, Ivory Coast, Sudan and Burkina Faso.
Ghana had stepped up surveillance to try to prevent incursion of the disease: banning imported poultry and related products from Asia and some neighboring countries, including Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
The virus is particularly worrisome in Africa, where poverty and poor health care means disease spreads quickly.
In January, a young woman became the first Nigerian to die from H5N1. Djibouti and Egypt have also reported infections in humans and eleven people have died of the disease in Egypt.
GHANA'S first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed by local laboratories and a US naval laboratory in Egypt, a World Health Organisation official said overnight.
Some 1600 birds had already been incinerated at the infected chicken farm 20km east of the capital Accra near the port of Tema, Dr Harry Opata, WHO disease prevention and control officer, said.
Health Agency Confirms
Ghana's First Case Bird Flu
Associated Press
May 2, 2007 3:06 p.m.
ACCRA, Ghana -- The H5N1 strain of bird flu has spread to fowl in the West African nation of Ghana, a World Health Organization official confirmed Wednesday.
Sophia Twum-Barimah, a WHO spokeswoman in Ghana's capital, Accra, said the virus was first detected by a Ghanian lab and then confirmed by an Egyptian research center. The health minister said 145 other birds on the same farm were infected, but that no people had been infected.
"The public should remain calm. The situation is being technically and expertly handled," Health Minister Ernest Debrah told reporters. He added that there was "no need for panic or fear of poultry."
Ghanaian officials had said earlier this week they were investigating a suspected outbreak of the disease in birds around the eastern port city of Tema. Though H5N1 had been documented elsewhere in the region, Ghana hadn't previously had a case confirmed.
Mr. Debrah said measures had been taken to contain the virus, including the immediate closure of Tema area bird markets and a ban on transporting birds in or out of the area. He said more than 1,500 birds had already been destroyed as a precaution. The government has pledged to pay 50-90% of market value as compensation for culled animals. The H5N1 virus has killed at least 172 people world-wide since it began its spread through Asian poultry in 2003, according to the WHO. Most human deaths come from contact with infected birds, but experts fear H5N1 could mutate into a form that spreads easily among people.
The HN51 virus is particularly worrisome in Africa, where poverty and poor health care means disease spreads quickly. Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, was the first on the continent to report an outbreak of the disease last year. Outbreaks have also been reported in Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Niger, Ivory Coast, Sudan and Burkina Faso.
Ghana had stepped up surveillance to try to prevent incursion of the disease: banning imported poultry and related products from Asia and some neighboring countries, including Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
Ghana reports first case of deadly H5N1 bird flu in poultry
28 minutes ago
Ghana on Wednesday became the eighth African country to report a case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in poultry.
Agriculture Minister Ernest Debrah told journalists the case was detected on April 24 on a farm near Tema, a port city to the east of the capital Accra.
The strain of the virus was proven by tests carried out in Ghana, in a specialized laboratory in Italy and at the US Navy Research Centre in Cairo, Egypt, he said.
Veterinary officials "went to the farm and took immediate measures to prevent the spread of the disease. A complete ban was placed on the movement of poultry and poultry products out of the farm," Debrah said.
Some 1,700 birds were culled on and around the premises, he added.
The minister said the team was still conducting investigations to determine how the H5N1 virus strain had entered the farm.
"The team has heightened surveillance and testing on suspicious birds and is working to ensure any potential cases are found," Debrah said.
The World Health Organisation issues frequent warnings about the importance of strengthening surveillance systems so that bird flu cases can be detected early and appropriate measures can be taken to avoid the spread of the virus.
In Africa, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria have all reported cases of H5N1 in poultry.
Ghana banned poultry imports from nine Asian nations, and Taiwan, as early as January 2004 in a bid to prevent bird flu from entering the country.
Nearby Nigeria, which reported its first case of H5N1 in February 2006, recorded its first human death from the virus strain less than a year later.
Agyen Frempong, director of Ghana's veterinary services on Wednesday said the risk of human infection in the country remained low for the moment.
"The risk is there but for the moment it is quite low," he said.
The WHO has warned that while humans have so far only caught the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu through contact with infected birds or their droppings, it could claim millions of lives if it mutates into a form that can be spread among humans.
The World Health Organization says the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has spread to the West African nation of Ghana.
WHO officials say the strain's presence in birds in Ghana has been confirmed by tests conducted at laboratories in both Ghana and Egypt.
The bird flu virus was detected at a farm near the port city of Tema, east of Ghana's capital Accra.
Officials say authorities have already killed at least 1,600 birds in an effort to contain the disease.
Ghana is the ninth African nation to report an outbreak of H5N1.
H5N1 has killed 172 people worldwide since 2003, with most of the deaths in Asia.
Most of the people killed by the disease had contact with infected birds. But experts fear H5N1 could mutate into a form that could pass easily among people. Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
Ghana reports first case of deadly H5N1 bird flu virus
Web posted at: 5/3/2007 1:44:23
Source ::: AFP
ACCRA • Ghana yesterday became the eighth African country to report a case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in poultry.
Agriculture Minister Ernest Debrah told journalists the case was detected on April 24 on a farm near Tema, a port city to the east of the capital Accra.
The strain of the virus was proven by tests carried out in Ghana, in a specialized laboratory in Italy and at the US Navy Research Centre in Cairo, Egypt, he said.
Veterinary officials "went to the farm and took immediate measures to prevent the spread of the disease. A complete ban was placed on the movement of poultry and poultry products out of the farm," Debrah said.
Some 1,700 birds were culled on and around the premises, he added.
The minister said the team was still conducting investigations to determine how the H5N1 virus strain had entered the farm. "The team has heightened surveillance and testing on suspicious birds and is working to ensure any potential cases are found," Debrah said.
The World Health Organisation issues frequent warnings about the importance of strengthening surveillance systems so that bird flu cases can be detected early and appropriate measures can be taken to avoid the spread of the virus.
In Africa, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria have all reported cases of H5N1 in poultry.
Ghana banned poultry imports from nine Asian nations, and Taiwan, as early as January 2004 in a bid to prevent bird flu from entering the country.
Nearby Nigeria, which reported its first case of H5N1 in February 2006, recorded its first human death from the virus strain less than a year later. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Dis...7050314423.xml
By Kwaku Sakyi-Addo
ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana has suffered its first outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu at a chicken farm east of the capital Accra, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday.
A handful of nearby countries in West Africa have already had outbreaks of the disease among poultry, and the worst-hit, Nigeria, reported sub-Saharan Africa's only confirmed human death from H5N1 early this year.
The Ghana outbreak was detected on a farm 20 km (13 miles) east of Ghana's capital Accra, near the port of Tema, Dr Harry Opata, WHO disease prevention and control officer, told Reuters.
"It's confirmed," Opata said. "Initial confirmation was done by the veterinary lab here in Accra ... and supported by a U.S. naval services laboratory in Cairo, Egypt."
"We'll assume the whole farm was infected ... about 100 chickens a day were dying in the past 3-4 days," he said.
Opata said all 1,600 birds on the farm -- mostly chickens and a few ducks -- had already been incinerated to control the disease.
The farm was relatively isolated, and the surrounding area had been put under veterinary surveillance to prevent any spread, he said.
At least 200 million birds have died or been culled because of the H5N1 strain as it has spread from Asia around much of the world in recent years.
The first case in Africa was detected in poultry in early 2006 in Nigeria, and outbreaks were subsequently confirmed in Ghana's neighbours Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso as well as nearby Niger and Cameroon.
The global human death toll stands at 172.
Experts are worried that weak human and animal health services in sub-Saharan Africa may allow the virus to go unnoticed -- giving it more chance to mutate into a form that could pass between people and trigger a human pandemic.
But so far the human death in Nigeria is the only one recorded from the disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
On the eastern edge of the African continent, one non-fatal human case had been confirmed in Djibouti, while further north on the continent Egypt is the worst-hit country, with 14 people confirmed killed by the virus.
Foreign donors gathered in the West African country of Mali in December and pledged nearly $500 million in new funds, mainly to help Africa fight the spread of bird flu and avert the threat of a human pandemic.
ACCRA, May 3 (Reuters) - Ghana halted poultry exports and began farm-to-farm checks around the capital Accra on Thursday, a day after the West African country announced its first outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, its veterinary chief said. "We've veterinary officers going from farm to farm to check for signs of the disease ... For now no birds are going in and no birds are coming out (of Ghana)," Mensah Agyen-Frempong, director of veterinary services in Ghana, told Reuters. http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL03544015.html
(Writes through with detail, more quotes)
By Kwaku Sakyi-Addo
ACCRA, May 3 (Reuters) - Ghana halted poultry exports and began farm-to-farm checks around the capital Accra on Thursday, a day after the West African country declared its first outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu.
Several countries in West Africa have had outbreaks of the disease among poultry, and the worst-hit, Nigeria, reported sub-Saharan Africa's only confirmed human death from H5N1 early this year.
"We've veterinary officers going from farm to farm to check for signs of the disease," Mensah Agyen-Frempong, director of veterinary services in Ghana, told Reuters.
"If there are any suspicious birds we'll conduct tests. If they test positive, we'll destroy them."
Health authorities detected a case of bird flu on a poultry farm at Tema, Ghana's main port city 18 km (11 miles) east of Accra. All 1,678 birds on the farm -- mostly chickens and a few ducks -- were incinerated to control the disease.
At least 200 million birds have died or been culled because of the H5N1 strain as it has spread from Asia around much of the world in recent years.
The first case in Africa was detected in poultry in Nigeria in early 2006, and outbreaks were subsequently confirmed in Ghana's neighbours Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso as well as nearby Niger and Cameroon.
The global human death toll stands at 172.
Experts are worried weak human and animal health services in sub-Saharan Africa may allow the virus to go unnoticed, giving it more chance to mutate into a form that could pass between people and trigger a human pandemic.
Agyen-Frempong said poultry exports, mostly day-old chicks from hatcheries in the central city of Kumasi being shipped to neighbouring countries, had been halted.
"For now no birds are going in and no birds are coming out ... No country would want birds from here anyway. But imports are permissible from countries which are certified to be free from avian influenza," he said.
It is unfortunate that the bird flu has been detected in the Tema area of the Greater Accra Region. Certainly the outbreak will inflict pain and uneasiness among poultry farmers in the area.
However, it is our humble submission that the farmers should not panic, even though we empathise with them, since the destruction of their birds means the loss of investment.
It is expected that the surveillance mechanism has worked assiduously to ward off the outbreak when it occurred in Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
At that time, there was massive anxiety that our poultry farmers would be affected by the outbreak, but adequate safeguards were instituted to ward off the disease.
Between 2003 and April 2007, 291 cases of bird flu were reported globally, with 172 deaths.
Happily, the flu does not jump easily to humans and so it is important that the necessary precautions are taken, so that people do not suffer from the consequences of being contaminated with the disease.
Whatever the situation, we take consolation from the fact that the farmers did not try to sell the affected birds to unsuspecting customers with the view to recouping what would otherwise be lost.
As a nation, it is unfortunate that just when we are struggling to put the poultry sub-sector into good shape, we should be confronted with the problem of bird flu.
Over the years, there have been persistent calls that the poultry industry should be put on a high pedestal so that the country’s protein requirement would be met to reduce cases of malnourishment, especially among our children.
Many questions have been asked as to why, as an agricultural country, we are unable to produce enough poultry and poultry products such as eggs which can help effectively in the school feeding programme, for instance.
There is no justification why the country has not been able to produce enough maize, the largest component in the poultry industry, apart from fish meal.
Whatever our problems may be, the issue is that the bird flu is here with us and we have to take every step to contain its spread.
This will call for unalloyed co-operation from all those who will be tasked to deal with the situation. The general public should be well educated to be on the alert as to what to do.
The greatest co-operation would have to come from poultry farmers in the affected area, since it may happen that their birds would have to be destroyed.
It is our considered opinion that when the situation is brought under control, the affected farmers would be given some form of support to enable them to go back to the industry.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Ghana
Information received on 03/05/2007 from Mr Mensah Agyen-Frempong, , Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Director, Veterinary Services Department, ACCRA, Ghana
Summary
Report type
Immediate notification
Start date
14/04/2007
Date of confirmation of event
28/04/2007
Report date
03/05/2007
Date submitted to OIE
03/05/2007
Reason for notification
First occurrence of a listed disease
Manifestation of disease
Clinical disease
Causal agent
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus type A
Serotype
H5N1
Nature of diagnosis
Suspicion, Clinical, Laboratory (basic), Necropsy
Report pertains to
Entire country
New outbreaks
Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak Location
GREATER ACCRA (KAKASUNANKA, TEMA MUNICIPAL)
Total animals affected
Species
Susceptible
Cases
Deaths
Destroyed
Slaughtered
Birds
2391
447
447
1944
0
Outbreak statistics
Species
Apparent morbidity rate
Apparent mortality rate
Apparent case fatality rate
Proportion susceptible removed*
Birds
18.70%
18.70%
100.00%
100.00%
* Removed from the susceptible population either through death, destruction or slaughter
Epidemiology
Source of infection
Unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments
Samples have been sent to OIE Reference Laboratory in Padova (Italy) on 2 May 2007. Results are pending.
Control measures
Measures already applied
Movement control inside the country
Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
Quarantine
Modified stamping out
Vaccination prohibited
No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied
Zoning
Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type
Accra veterinary laboratory (National laboratory)
Tests and results
Species
Test
Test date
Result
Birds
haemagglutination (HA) test
28/04/2007
Positive
Birds
haemagglutination inhibition test (HIT)
28/04/2007
Positive
Laboratory name and type
Accra Veterinary Laboratory (National laboratory)
Tests and results
Species
Test
Test date
Result
Birds
rapid tests
25/04/2007
Positive
Laboratory name and type
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (National laboratory)
__________________ "We are in this breathing space before it happens. We do not know how long that breathing space is going to be. But, if we are not all organizing ourselves to get ready and to take action to prepare for a pandemic, then we are squandering an opportunity for our human security"- Dr. David Nabarro
Suspected bird flu case in Ghana linked to smuggled birds from Nigeria Investigation is underway in Ghana’s port city of Tema over reports of the outbreak of bird flu, the country’s Veterinary Services Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has said.
The department says even though initial checks in some outlets in city suggest it might be bird flu, a more in-depth assessment will be needed to draw definite conclusion on the matter. According to ministry sources a blood specimen is being made ready for analysis at the World Health Organisation’s laboratories in Italy.
Some local observers are already blaming the situation on smuggled life birds from Nigeria. Though the government of Ghana banned the importation of poultry products from Nigeria since the first case was reported in Kano, they say the products have continued to be smuggled into the country’s market.
“If it is true that there is bird flu in Tema, you can be sure it came from Nigeria. We have one of the most porous borders in the world and I just hope it would not create a serious problem for us,” Eric Dancquah, a businessman in the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area of Accra told Black Britain.
However, Ghana’s neighbour, Cote d’Ivoire has also been identified as a likely source of the flu. Ghana’s ban on the importation of poultry products also includes other African countries where outbreak of the avian influenza has been previously reported including Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Niger.
Although more than 300 people are reported to have contracted the H5N1 virus worldwide, experts point out that cross-infection to humans is still relatively rare, and usually occurs where people have been in close contact with infected birds. The dominant form of transmission is very much from bird to bird. This implies that the big economic impact of the disease in its current form is in the poultry business.
The flu has the potential to devastate the livelihoods of many millions on small farms that produce poultry, along with the few larger scale poultry operations that country has. Agriculture and food production account for a larger share of the Ghanaian economy, so losses to poultry farmers could have a significant impact on the macro economy.
A four-day sensitisation forum was held last month in the Kintampo South District of the Brong Ahafo region of the country to sensitise 45 assembly members and heads of department on the avian influenza. The forum, organized by the district’s Agricultural Development Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, was to educate participants to keep surveillance on the disease and help in its prevention.
Apart from the loss of incomes that bird flu brings, there is also a cost for governments - and aid donors - in trying to tackle it. The World Bank says the key to containing the economic cost of bird flu is rapid effective action. http://www.blackbritain.co.uk/news/d...=2438&c=africa
Suspected bird flu case in Ghana linked to smuggled birds from Nigeria Investigation is underway in Ghana’s port city of Tema over reports of the outbreak of bird flu, the country’s Veterinary Services Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has said.
The department says even though initial checks in some outlets in city suggest it might be bird flu, a more in-depth assessment will be needed to draw definite conclusion on the matter. According to ministry sources a blood specimen is being made ready for analysis at the World Health Organisation’s laboratories in Italy.
Some local observers are already blaming the situation on smuggled life birds from Nigeria. Though the government of Ghana banned the importation of poultry products from Nigeria since the first case was reported in Kano, they say the products have continued to be smuggled into the country’s market.
“If it is true that there is bird flu in Tema, you can be sure it came from Nigeria. We have one of the most porous borders in the world and I just hope it would not create a serious problem for us,” Eric Dancquah, a businessman in the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area of Accra told Black Britain.
However, Ghana’s neighbour, Cote d’Ivoire has also been identified as a likely source of the flu. Ghana’s ban on the importation of poultry products also includes other African countries where outbreak of the avian influenza has been previously reported including Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Niger.
Although more than 300 people are reported to have contracted the H5N1 virus worldwide, experts point out that cross-infection to humans is still relatively rare, and usually occurs where people have been in close contact with infected birds. The dominant form of transmission is very much from bird to bird. This implies that the big economic impact of the disease in its current form is in the poultry business.
The flu has the potential to devastate the livelihoods of many millions on small farms that produce poultry, along with the few larger scale poultry operations that country has. Agriculture and food production account for a larger share of the Ghanaian economy, so losses to poultry farmers could have a significant impact on the macro economy.
A four-day sensitisation forum was held last month in the Kintampo South District of the Brong Ahafo region of the country to sensitise 45 assembly members and heads of department on the avian influenza. The forum, organized by the district’s Agricultural Development Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, was to educate participants to keep surveillance on the disease and help in its prevention.
Apart from the loss of incomes that bird flu brings, there is also a cost for governments - and aid donors - in trying to tackle it. The World Bank says the key to containing the economic cost of bird flu is rapid effective action. http://www.blackbritain.co.uk/news/d...=2438&c=africa
It's not H5N1 (even though it has been confirmed in 3 labs and OIE report has been filed), but if it is, it is smuggled H5N1.
GHANA: Poultry culled after first bird flu infection reported
04 May 2007 16:26:12 GMT
Source: IRIN
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
TEMA, 4 May 2007 (IRIN) - Ghana has begun a mass culling of poultry after the country's National Veterinary Laboratory said it had detected the nation's first infection with the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza.
At least 1,678 chickens were destroyed after a reportedly infected chicken was discovered on a small poultry farm in the port city of Tema, 20km east of the capital, Accra, officials said on Thursday.
Samples taken from the bird are being tested at the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Reference Laboratory in Padua, Italy, FAO spokesman Erwin Northoff told IRIN on Friday.
The FAO commended the Ghanaian government for acting quickly in notifying the Ghanaian population about the reported infection, as well as the international community.
"They are transparent about it, which is good," Northoff said.
International health officials fear avian influenza could mutate into a strain that is transmissible between humans, causing a worldwide pandemic that could claim millions of lives. The illness has so far killed 172 people.
To stem the possible spread of avian flu among its poultry, Ghana has banned the export of its birds pending further investigation. Other West African countries that have been infected are neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso, as well as Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger.
In January Nigeria reported its first human death from avian flu. It is the only human death known to have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa thus far.
Ghanaian officials have temporarily closed all live bird markets in and around Tema. "We have quarantined the entire affected area to ensure that the virus does not spread," Agriculture Minister Earnest Debrah told reporters on Wednesday.
At the same time he sought to quell people's fears. "There is no need to panic or fear poultry," he said.
Local poultry farmers are concerned their livelihoods will be destroyed. Erick Neequaye said officials culled 700 birds valued at about US$1,200 at his small farm.
"I was confused," he said after learning that his birds were to be culled. "I did not believe it when they said I will have to abandon my farm and that they were going to destroy all my birds. First I resisted but then I realised they were serious. Then I felt like dying."
Neequaye makes the equivalent of about $25 per day. He said he is waiting for Ghanaian officials to pay him compensation for his culled poultry. The Agriculture Ministry said farmers would be paid 50-90 percent of the market value for their destroyed birds.
Officials also said they were sending a task force around the country to test poultry for possible avian flu infection.
Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), May 5, GNA - Contrary to expectations Dormaa-Ahenkro, the hub of the poultry industry in the country, last Wednesday received reports of the appearance of the Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Tema with relative calm.
Investigations conducted by Ghana News Agency revealed that poultry farmers and dealers in poultry products in the Dormaa District were going about their businesses with little or no sign of anxiety. Dr. Agyemang Kontor, the Dormaa District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), attributed the calmness to the sustained public education by his outfit, the district assembly and identifiable groups since the bird flu scare last year.
"The intensity of the message, coupled with pragmatic steps taken by the government including an indefinite ban on the importation of poultry products contributed immensely to the prevention process until the Tema incident", he said.
Dr. Kontor said his office, the district assembly and a special task force monitored the strict compliance to the ban to ensure that neither the bird flu found its way into the district or public confidence in poultry products waned.
He said following the Tema incident, the district's agricultural officers had been ordered to disengage from all other activities and concentrate on a 24-hour surveillance on all poultry and wild birds in the district.
Dr. Kontor appealed to the public not to hesitate in reporting to the veterinary department any dead bird in the community or bush and appealed to the two poultry farmers' associations in the district to advise their members not to engage in practices that had the potential to disrupt the prevention process.
Mr. Adama Musa, the National Best Poultry farmer, said the success of the fight against the flu depended largely on the will of the operators in the industry.
"The public, especially traders, will do the industry a lot of service if they, as a matter of necessity, halt the transportation and sale or use of egg crates that can be a source of the spread of the virus and other contagious diseases", he added.
Mr Musa appealed to his colleagues to minimize inter-farm visits and to follow systematically the concept of bio-security both at their farm gates and within the farms.
Mr. Chou-en-Lai Paul Ankomah, chairman of the special task force, assured stakeholders that the committee would discharge its duties without fear or favour.
"The bird flu issue is a national concern with numerous rippling effects on the economy and we shall not relent in efforts to uncover any recalcitrant group or individual in order to keep the flu at bay", Mr. Ankomah said.http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePag....php?ID=123565
The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. Moderators on this forum make every effort to review the material posted on this site however, it is not realistically possible for our staff to manually review each post.
The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original authors or posters and are not endorsed by, or representative of the opinions of, the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author or poster and should not be construed as statements of advice or factual information.
Not all posts on this website are intended as truthful or factual assertion by their authors. NO posts on this website should be considered factual information on face value alone. Users are encouraged to USE DISCERNMENT and do their own follow up research while reading and posting on this website. FluTrackers.com Inc. reserves the right to make changes to, corrections and/or remove entirely at any time posts made on this website without notice. In addition, FluTrackers.com Inc. disclaims any and all liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of a post on this website.
This site is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. You should not assume that this site is error-free or that it will be suitable for the particular purpose which you have in mind when using it. In no event shall FluTrackers.com Inc. be liable for any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages of any kind, or any damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, those resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, and on any theory of liability, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this site or other documents which are referenced by or linked to this site.
Finally, FluTrackers.com Inc. reserves the right to delete, correct, or make changes to any post on this website without notice at any time for any reason.
Fair Use Notice:
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to public health, civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C.Section 107, the material on this site is distributed to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss and no more than 50% of the source material, provide a link back to the original article and provide your original comments / criticism in your post with the article. Please remember you are responsible for what you post on the internet and you could be sued by the original copyright holder if you do not honor these rules.
If you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright
we may be contacted concerning copyright matters at:
FluTrackers.com Inc.
c/o Sharon Sanders
1676 Hibiscus Avenue
Winter Park, Florida 32789
Phone: 407-406-3037
E-Mail: flutrackers@earthlink.net
In accordance with section 512 of the U.S. Copyright Act our contact information has been registered with the United States Copyright Office. "Safe Harbor" noticing procedures as outlined in the DMCA apply to this website concerning all 3rd party posts published herein.
If notice is given of an alleged copyright violation we will act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material(s) in question.
All 3rd party material posted on this website is the copyright of the respective owners / authors. FluTrackers.com Inc. makes no claim of copyright on such material.
For more information please visit:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
Please be aware any communications sent complaining about a post on this website may be posted publicly at the discretion of the administration.
FluTrackers Does Not Provide Any Medical Advice:
FluTrackers, Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster.
The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website.
By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
By using and/or accessing this site, either passively or actively, you are agreeing to all of the above conditions. Also, by using and/or accessing this site, either passively or actively, you agree to conduct all business and legal affairs related to this website in the jurisdiction of Flutrackers.com Inc. which is registered in Central Florida, USA.
These Disclaimers are subject to change at anytime.
Email the Webmaster with questions or comments about this site at flutrackers@earthlink.net
Ghana investigates bird flu case
Linear Mode
