A highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has been detected in Cameroon, neighbouring Nigeria, and Ghana, according to a recent notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
In Cameroon, the presence of the virus was confirmed to have led to the death of over 12 000 laying birds.
They were part of a flock of around 13 500 birds at a farm in Ouest, which is in the west region. The remaining birds were culled.
The source of the infection was unknown, but the west region is near to the border with Nigeria, where an HPAI outbreak has been reported.
In Nigeria, the HPAI is spreading out of control.
In some affected states such as Kano and Plateau, farmers have complained that they have not received compensation for poultry that have been culled by the government. As a result, some poultry farmers are selling off their sick birds, rather than reporting cases to the authorities.
Farmers are also struggling to respond to rapid price rises for poultry feed and other costs.
Information supplied by Nigeria’s veterinary authority to the OIE, shows the present HPAI outbreak wave began in December of 2020.
Since then, 264 outbreaks linked to the H5N1 HPAI virus serotype have been confirmed in poultry in 20 Nigerian states. More than 1,59 million birds have been directly affected as a result of mortality or culling.
The latest update from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) indicates a further 39 new outbreaks since January 12. This brings to 140 the number of HPAI outbreaks in Nigeria since last October.
New cases were confirmed in six regions. As well as four states where previous outbreaks have been reported, these include first cases in the capital city Abuja, and in the northeastern state of Borno.
Meanwhile, in the past week, the culling of more than 2 000 poultry in the Upper East, Ghana.
Samples taken from four different locations had previously tested positive for the HPAI virus. The first cases near to the regional capital, Bolgatanga.
The country’s first cases in the current HPAI outbreak wave were detected in the Greater Accra region in southern Ghana in July of 2021.
Mortality of poultry in Ghana at around 702 000 with 30 000 birds culled.
At least 40 000 poultry are reported to have died so far at six farms in Kpone Katamanso.
Part of the Greater Accra region, this municipality recorded its first cases in January this year. It is also the location of the country’s largest single outbreak so far. More than 30 000 pullets were destroyed at Delawin Farms shortly before the birds were scheduled to come into lay.
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