Nkwanta (V/R), July 11, GNA - It is dangerous to eat the carcass of game or farm animals if the source of death is could not be ascertained, an expert has warned.
Dr Eric Obeng Bempong, Nkwanta District Veterinary Officer, also advised that birds should be handled with care and not taken close to the nostrils and that case of sick birds should be reported immediately to the veterinary office.
He told the Ghana News Agency that communities in the district were living nothing to chance in their support of surveillance measures to prevent against the spread of avian flu to the district. Dr Bempong said movement of birds in the district had been banned and that a surveillance team was on high alert, monitoring communities close to the border with Togo.
He said the rate of vaccination of animals and birds in the district this year had gone up appreciably from what it had been previously.
Dr Bempong said 54 vaccinations against rabies were carried out within the second quarter of this year, up from 10 per quarter in previously.
He said 5,720 local birds were vaccinated against New Castle disease as against a target of 5,000 birds per quarter. Dr Bempong said vaccination against New Castle was important for the early detection of bird flu because both diseases exhibit quite similar symptoms.
He said a total of 2,076 small ruminants were vaccinated against Pest de Petit Ruminant, exceeding a target of 2,000. Dr Bempong said the treatment of cattle against Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pricomonia had dropped from a target of 1,000 to 650 per quarter due to relocation of cattle from the district following attacks from Konkombas.