Avian Influenza, popularly known as bird flu, has hit some poultry farms in Katsina State, leading to the death of over 3,000 birds.
Alhaji Musa Danhassan, the Vice Chairman of the Katsina State Poultry Farmers Association, confirmed the outbreak of the disease to the News Agency of Nigeria in Katsina on Friday.
NAN also reports that the outbreak of the bird flu occurred at Abukur village in Rimi Local Government Area of the state.
Danhassan said the farm of one of their members, Alhaji Garba Dalhatu, was affected by the outbreak.
Dalhatu lost over 3,000 birds.
He said specimen from the affected birds have been taken to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, where it was confirmed.
The Vice Chairman disclosed that their association had reported the outbreak to both the state and federal ministries of agriculture.
NAN investigation revealed that officials from the Department of Veterinary Services of the state Ministry of Agriculture had visited the affected farms where they carried out total elimination of the affected birds.
The investigation further revealed that another backyard farm at Tudun-yanlifidda, belonging to one Hajiya Zainab Muhammad, has also been affected by the bird flu.
The woman poultry farmer lost over 300 birds on Friday morning.
When contacted, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Garba Sanda, confirmed the outbreak.
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