Ghana - The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Research confirms avian influenza virus in some birds

[Pathfinder]

Five out six birds tested positive for Bird flu- Noguchi confirms

Source: Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah

Date: 27-05-2015 Time: 02:05:38m

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Research has confirmed there is Avian Influenza virus or Bird Flu in some birds in Ghana.

Out of six samples tested by the Institute, five of them proved positive for the bird flu virus, Research fellow at the Institute, Dr Kofi Odoom confirmed to Joy News' Francisca Kakra Forson on Wednesday.

According to him, the Institute received the samples on 15 May, 2015 from two farms located in Achimota and Tema and subjected them to medical scrutiny.

The virus for now is from bird to bird he stated, adding however that the Institute is yet to conduct tests on the handlers of those birds to confirm whether r not the virus has been transferred from birds to humans.

He was quick to add that there is no cause for alarm at least for now but advised poultry farmers to keep their farms clean and report as soon as possible strange behaviour by their birds.

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[sharon sanders]

Achimota and Tema are on the coast.

There have been ongoing H5N1 outbreaks in neighboring Burkina Faso since April:

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/africa/h5n1-tracking-aa/burkina-faso

 

[Pathfinder]

No cause for alarm, government insists after five birds test positive for bird flu

Source: Ghana|Myjoyonline|Edwin Appiah|edwin.appiah@myjoyonline.com

Date: 27-05-2015 Time: 06:05:25m

Government says it is doing everything possible to contain any outbreak of bird flu on humans in the country.
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A National Technical Committee has been activated to lead the effort and will comprise of officials from the Ministry of Health, leaders in the poultry industry and officials from the National Disaster Mangement Organisation (NADMO).

Government officials are advising farmers to watch out for sick birds on their farms after some of the infected birds were found in poultry farms at Achimota, McCarthy Hill and Kpone Katamanso, all in Accra.
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Officials of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Research say they will soon examine handlers of birds in the infected farms to confirm whether the virus has been transferred from birds to humans.

Ghana experienced an outbreak of bird flu in 2007 after infected birds were found on farms in Tema and Sunyani municipalities and the Ketu district.
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