Williams Attah
28 November 2008
Gombe — Gombe state government has wiped out bird flu in the state.
The information desk officer of the state bird flu, committee, Mr. Kassim Toro made the claim in an interview with the Daily Champion in Gombe.
He said that it was the prompt response of the state government which purchased drugs used in fumigating the entire area that prevented a possible outbreak of bird flu in the state.
According to him, reports reaching him had earlier showed that over three months ago, a man from BCGA area of Gombe bought some ducks from the popular Dadin Kowa Market and that the ducks were traced to the Bayo market, Bornu state.
He said as soon as the ducks landed in Gombe, hundreds of other chickens, guinea fowls and other flying birds caught up with the flu and within six hours, thousands were reported dead.
He said it took the intervention of the state government which ordered the fumigation of the Dadin Kowa Market and the entire farm and BCGA that the epidemic was put under control.
He added that the exercise also included Dadin Kowa Dam, one of the wetland areas of the country reported to be a stopping point for different kinds of birds especially from Europe, which fly to the area yearly.
"Experts have discovered that the particular specie of the bird flu found in Gombe was taken to National Vet nary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Plateau state where it was discovered that the virus was more deadly than the common HN51 bird flu," Toro said.
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