Health Director alerts public on Avian Influenza outbreak in Ghana

By Bisola Adeyemo

The Deputy Director of Public Health, Western Region in Ghana, Dr. Gifty Amugi, on Friday, alerted the public about the outbreak of avian influenza (AI) found in two poultry farms in the two districts.

Avian influenza (AI) broke out in the Sekondi- Takoradi Metropolis and the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality in the Western Region of the country, Ghanaian Times reports.

Amugi issued this in a statement copied the Deputy Director, Clinical Care, municipal/district directors of health service, and medical superintendents, in the Western Region.

She added: “This serves to alert of an outbreak of avian influenza in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality. This came to light when the Regional Veterinary Laboratory confirmed the infection in two poultry farms in the two districts.”

Dr Amugi said “all the birds in two farms have since been destroyed and preliminary disinfection initiated.”

The statement also requested all health personnel to look out for signs and symptoms of avian Influenza since it was highly infectious and could be fatal to humans.

“Suspected and confirmed avian Influenza cases can be detected in any person presenting with unexplained acute lower respiratory illness with fever more than 38Celsius and cough, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing.”

Others include exposure within seven days prior to symptom onset, close contact within one metre with a person caring for, speaking with, or touching who is suspected, probable, or confirmed.

She said “consumption of raw or undercooked poultry products in an area where avian influenza infections in animals or humans have been suspected or confirmed in the last month, close contact with a confirmed avian influenza infected animal other than poultry or wild birds.”

Dr. Amugi said, “Confirmed avian Influenza case is where a person meeting the criteria for a suspected case and positive laboratory results from a laboratory whose avian influenza test results are accepted by World Health Organisation (WHO) as confirmatory.”