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NIGER: BIRD FLU CONFIRMED IN THE COUNTRY February 28, 2006
Apunyu Bonny
(SomaliNet) Niger is now the third African country to be hit by bird flu, According to tests carried out, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has is present in Niger, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Monday.-IRIN
Maria Zampaglione, the Organisation for Animal Health spokeswoman told IRIN that the Paris-based organisation's laboratory in Padua, Italy, had confirmed H5N1 in samples from Niger.
"The virus was present in domestic ducks. The samples concern two centres in Niger, one at Magaria very close to the border with Nigeria, and the other at San Barde."
Bird flu was confirmed on 8 February in Nigeria being the first African country hit. Meanwhile Niger, shares a 1,500-kilometre border with Nigeria, where Cases have been detected in eight of the nation's states. The virus has been found in Egypt.
"It's not a surprise given that ever since the infections in Nigeria we warned its neighbours to step up surveillance and control because we were expecting this," she said. Zampaglione added that the OIE was awaiting further information from Niamey on the number and size of the farms where the dead birds were found.
Late last year, Niger banned poultry imports from countries infected with H5N1 but slapped a total ban on all imported poultry products days after news of the virus hitting Nigeria. Two weeks ago, Niger's committee against avian influenza called a 2.2 billion CFA franc (US $3.9 million) emergency prevention programme.