The Veterinary Service Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the Upper East Region has announced an outbreak of Avian influenza (AI) in the region.
AI is a disease of viral etiology that ranges from a mild or even asymptomatic infection to an acute, fatal disease of chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, and other avian species, especially migratory waterfowl.
The outbreak which was first reported on 7th July 2021 at a farm in Nungua in the Greater Accra region has since been recorded in 11 regions of the country.
On the 17th of January 2022, a farmer from Bolga Zaare reported of a sudden deaths of 41 birds out of a flock of 500.
A team of veterinary staff were immediately dispatched to the farm to investigate the cause of deaths.
While on the farm another 30 birds died.
Postmortem conducted on two dead and two live birds revealed cyanosis and hyperemia of the comb and wattles, congested carcasses, haemorrhages in the Proventriculos, necrotic enteritis, ascites and greenish intestinal contents.
Initial test with AI rapid Diagnosis test kit proved positive.
Source: Modern Ghana