In what will come across as a really startling development, several birds in different poultry farms have died in Plateau State.

They died following a fresh outbreak of Avian Influenza otherwise known as bird flu in the state

The Director and Chief Veterinary Officer in the state, Dr Sipak Dawat Shaseet confirmed the development to The PUNCH in Jos on Friday.

The Director who refused to give the number of deaths so far recorded, however, said that the outbreak has affected four farms in Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas of the state.

Shaseet said, “When we started noticing deaths of some birds, we suspected some farms and visited them last week.

“Some samples were taken and sent to the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom and just two days ago(Wednesday), we received the results which turned out to be positive for Avian influenza. So far, four farms have been affected; Three in Jos North and One in Jos South.”

In a message he circulated to the poultry farmers and other stakeholders in the state to alert them of the development, the Director assured that efforts were being made to stop the virus from spreading to other council areas of the state.

The message read, “This is to inform all poultry farmers in Plateau State that an outbreak of Avian Influenza has been confirmed in Jos North and Jos South LGCs.

“By this development, farmers are hereby directed to maintain strict biosecurity in their poultry farms to prevent any escalation of the spread of this deadly disease in the state.

“The Veterinary Services Department is on top of the situation to see that the disease is contained and does not go beyond the four farms that have been confirmed positive.”