The Nigerian government has raised an alarm on the resurgence of bird flu in Kano and Plateau, after two years of no reported case. 

Veterinary and pest control experts at the Federal Ministry of Agriculcuture Department said reports of confirmed cases were received from the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) on January 29.

Olaniran Alabi, a senior official at the department, declared in a letter to all veterinary services across the country that the disease initially broke out from poultry farms of different species in Kano and another in Plateau within the space of one week.

While expressing worries on the rapid spread of the flu, which will have negative impacts on the poultry industry and the livelihood of farmers, Mr. Alabi recommended cooperation on measures to prevent its spread.
Some of the recommendations sought to ensure “full activation of the Highly PathoPenic Avian influenza (HPAI), Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP)in the state” and “enforcement of movement control of poultry and poultry products from affected to non-affected areas.”

The letter also called for sensitisation of poultry farmers on basic security and hygiene, as well as “separation of Live Bird Markets (LBMs) from LBM’s for domestic fowls and other species such as ducks, captive wild water birds.”

Nigeria was the first West African country to report human cases of bird flu, which are caused by strains of influenza virus that primarily affect birds before being transmitted to humans.

Nigerian health officials said the index human case of Avian Influenza in Nigeria was detected in Lagos State in January 2007 and officially reported in February of the same year.

The resurgence of the disease comes amidst the second wave of COVID-19 which has not only claimed lives but has undoubtedly crippled some businesses.

As of February 4, Nigeria has over 136,030 recorded cases, with 110,449 recoveries and 1,632 deaths since the pandemic broke out in February 2020.