February 7, 2006

First test results show no bird flu in Nigeria

Results from initial tests on chickens that mysteriously died in northern Nigeria show no sign of bird flu, but further tests are being carried out, officials said Monday.

Salihu Jibrin of the Agriculture Ministry said results from one in a series of tests on dead chickens in Kano State have "so far not shown any sign of bird flu." He said tests from other samples are ongoing.

Health officials fear a deadly bird flu virus could enter impoverished, loosely governed African regions where many people raise chickens at home for personal consumption. There have been no cases of bird flu documented in West Africa.

Nigerian authorities urged farmers to monitor their flocks and report strange ailments to authorities. Kano state set up a committee of veterinary surgeons to visit farms and watch out for evidence of a bird flu outbreak.