Experts to Probe Death of Birds
The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
14 February 2008
Posted to the web 14 February 2008
Nairobi
The Government has despatched a team of veterinarians to investigate the cause of mass deaths of wild birds in Pokot North District.
The District Veterinary Officer Dr Charles Toroitich said the livestock experts from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and microbiologists from the Veterinary Investigations Laboratories unit had been sent to investigate the cause of the disease that has killed hundreds of birds in Alale and Kacheliba divisions in the past one month.
Deadly avian flu
The official said samples of the dead birds had been collected and sent to KEMRI for analysis, adding that the results would be ready in a week's time.
Panic has gripped the district, with residents expressing fears that the disease that has killed the birds in the area might be the deadly avian flu.
However, the official allayed fears that the disease was not bird flu. He warned the residents against eating the dead birds.
He also told the villagers not to touch the carcasses of the dead birds until laboratory results on the cause of the deaths was established.
There were reports that villagers faced with hunger in the affected areas were collecting and eating the dead birds, oblivious of the danger they were exposing themselves to.
The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
14 February 2008
Posted to the web 14 February 2008
Nairobi
The Government has despatched a team of veterinarians to investigate the cause of mass deaths of wild birds in Pokot North District.
The District Veterinary Officer Dr Charles Toroitich said the livestock experts from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and microbiologists from the Veterinary Investigations Laboratories unit had been sent to investigate the cause of the disease that has killed hundreds of birds in Alale and Kacheliba divisions in the past one month.
Deadly avian flu
The official said samples of the dead birds had been collected and sent to KEMRI for analysis, adding that the results would be ready in a week's time.
Panic has gripped the district, with residents expressing fears that the disease that has killed the birds in the area might be the deadly avian flu.
However, the official allayed fears that the disease was not bird flu. He warned the residents against eating the dead birds.
He also told the villagers not to touch the carcasses of the dead birds until laboratory results on the cause of the deaths was established.
There were reports that villagers faced with hunger in the affected areas were collecting and eating the dead birds, oblivious of the danger they were exposing themselves to.
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