With barely two weeks to Christmas, the Ghana Veterinary Service has warned of a bird flu outbreak in the Tema Metropolis. The service is undertaking a destruction exercise of some 24,000 birds believed to have been infected.

This follows a monitoring exercise undertaken by the Veterinary Service in the area after reports of mysterious deaths of birds.

Head of Public Health at the Veterinary Service, Dr. Bashiru Boi Kikimoto in an interview said so far the reports were from just two farms in the Tema Metropolis and “we have men there who are carrying out the quelling (destruction) of the birds”

He indicated that there was an emergency meeting between the stakeholders in the Agric and poultry industry and it was in relation to the outbreak of the bird flu.

“For now, Tema is just one of the focal points and we are examining other farms to ensure that the outbreak is contained within the shortest possible time.”

Meanwhile some farmers in the metropolis who were affected by the latest outbreak have given indications that they would support the Veterinary Service in their effort to deal with the issue.”

The latest outbreak comes on the back of a similar one that occurred in May this year where some 22,000 birds were destroyed in Tema while in Denu in the Volta Region, 3,600 birds were eliminated as a result of early detection.

Later by the end of June, 11 cases were recorded, seven in the Greater Accra and two in the Volta region. Some compensation was paid to affected farmers after the last outbreak but they have asked government to increase the finances given to the farmers.