The Kano State Government has called on residents to notify relevant authorities of suspected cases of avian influenza(bird flu) in the state.
The announcement was made due to worries about outbreak of the virus in the state.
In December 2024, a young man from Gwale Local Government Area (LGA) was reported to have bought a duck from Janguza Market in Tofa LGA to include it in his group of poultry birds.
It was learnt that after that, the birds started displaying symptoms of breathing difficulties, leading to the demise of 35 out of 50 birds.
Samples dispatched to the Gwale Veterinary Clinic in January 2025 confirmed the existence of the bird flu virus.
Reacting to the situation, the commissioner for Health in Kano State, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, characterized the incident as isolated, noting that it does not represent an outbreak.
The commissioner outlined bird flu symptoms, such as mucus, fever and redness of the eyes and advised poultry keepers to monitor their flocks closely and report any unusual health conditions promptly.
He assured that the ministry is tackling the issue and implementing proactive steps to manage the disease and avert it from becoming fatal.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture in the state has locked down the impacted site, eliminated the remaining chickens and sanitized the location.
In a related development, Janguza Market, where the duck was bought, underwent decontamination and awareness sessions were conducted for live bird vendors to sensitize them on the dangers of avian influenza.
