Announcement

**Sally Furniss** · February 28, 2006, 04:26 AM

Kenya: Flu Scare As Chicken Dumped in Nairobi.

Hooded veterinary experts donning masks and gloves on Sunday collected samples from carcasses of hundreds of chicken found dumped at Kasarani in Nairobi for testing for the killer bird flu virus.
The exercise progressed as the Director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal, assured Kenyans that tests carried out on dead birds found in other parts of the country had not found any traces of the deadly Avian influenza, which has caused a scare in Asia, Europe and most recently Nigeria.
The experts, at the same time, assured Kenyans the flu could be avoided if those slaughtering and cooking chicken use materials that limit contact with blood and other fluids. Those cooking chicken should also ensure they use high temperatures and that the meat is well done.

Nyikal said although only about 80 people around the world had died, the ministry was not taking the matter lightly. He said the Government was on full alert to deal with any cases of bird flu.
"People must report any mysterious deaths of birds found anywhere and they should not attempt to dispose them by themselves, as this might turn out to be dangerous," he warned.
Nyikal said a team from the Health and the Livestock ministries among others were carrying out surveillance countrywide to ensure the disease was detected immediately it entered Kenya.
"As a ministry we are taking all measures to ensure no birds enter the country with the disease and our staff in the field have been put on alert."
Nyikal said by reporting deaths of birds the Ministry would be able to carry out tests to establish whether they had died of the flu.
Jogger raised the alarm
Dressed in yellow protective clothing, black boots and gloves, they expertly picked the samples and stuffed them in portable coolers. Led by the Assistant director of Veterinary services, Dr Catherine Wanjohi, the team collected samples and took them for testing at the Kabete Veterinary Laboratories.
Wanjohi said the tentative results would be out by Monday. However, she said conclusive results on whether the birds had died of the deadly H5N1 virus would be announced in the next 10-11 days.
"We can get a tentative diagnosis tomorrow (Monday) then further tests will be done so that we have conclusive results in about one and a half weeks time," Wanjohi said.

The over 400 dead broilers were found dumped by the roadside near the Moi International Sports Stadium, Kasarani. Some of them were stuffed in gunny bags and dumped in roadside drainage canals while others littered the area.
A man who was jogging along the deserted road that connects the stadium to Kasarani estate spotted the decomposing carcasses on Saturday morning and raised the alarm.
Wanjohi said several other tests had been done on dead birds recovered from several parts of the country. However, like Nyikal, she said none of the cases had tested positive for the deadly flu.
She said tests had been done on dead birds from Kericho, Karatina, Moyale, Karachuonyo and Laikipia Districts.
She said the tests were done on both wild birds and domestic poultry.
"In most of these cases the birds tested positive for Newcastle (bird disease) while most wild birds died of starvation ".
She expressed disappointment that, whoever owned the 400 dead chicken, chose to dump them by the roadside instead of reporting the deaths at the Kabete Veterinary Laboratories.
"We need to know when such incidents happen," she said adding that Kenyans should be encouraged to report such incidents early
"We need to know when such incidents happen," she said adding that Kenyans should be encouraged to report such incidents early.
Surveillance measures
Wanjohi said that some of the carcasses were dumped as late as Saturday while others could have died five days ago. She said the veterinary department would co-ordinate with the local authority the disposal of the carcasses.
Poultry farmers, she added, should be on the lookout for the early signs of the disease and report it at the earliest opportunity.
The disease, she said, was characterised by many deaths of birds in flocks, sudden drop in egg production and signs of respiratory diseases in the chicken.
Dr Dickens Malanga of the African Union's Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resource, who accompanied Dr Wanjohi, lamented that poultry farmers could dump the chicken instead of seeking expert support.
He said Kenyans should be encouraged to report such incidents at the earliest opportunity possible. The first Avian Flu incident in Africa was reported early this month in Nigeria raising fears that the virus could spread fast to other African countries.
Kenya Medical Research Institute director, Dr Davy Koech, early this month warned that following the first reported outbreak of the deadly strain in Africa, others were likely to occur unless steps were taken to prevent them.
Wanjohi had warned that large scale poultry keepers and those keeping domestic chicken should ensure they were caged at all times to ensure they did not mix with wild birds.
A special multi-disciplinary team was formed to monitor the flu and coordinate surveillance measures. The team has been collecting samples of blood, droppings and throat swabs from migratory birds in different parts of the country.
The samples are being tested for the flu at the Kabete Veterinary Laboratories.
On Friday, an eagle fell from a tree in Kawangware slums as other birds continued to die on top of trees along the Old Airport Road in Nairobi. But Dr Wanjohi said reports of bird deaths had reduced as the week ended. She said tests on the bird showed that they died of starvation. Others were "trapped" by polythene papers on the tree branches.

The World Organisation for Animal Health said the strain found in Nigeria was the highly pathogenic strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus, which could kill human beings
It was detected on a farm in the northern state of Kaduna. More than 150,000 birds had died at the time, but veterinary officers thought it was Newcastle disease a common ailment among birds in the region.

Kenya: Flu Scare As Chicken Dumped in Nairobi

http://allafrica.com/stories/200602270219.html

Hooded veterinary experts donning masks and gloves on Sunday collected samples from carcasses of hundreds of chicken found dumped at Kasarani in Nairobi for testing for the killer bird flu virus.

Announcement

Kenya: Hundreds of dead chickens.

Kenya: Hundreds of dead chickens.

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