Encomium
KOLAWOLE, Blue Cross Hospital, Ogba (Lagos)
At what stage can it be detected in human?
It doesn’t have a particular stage. It can be detected at any stage, but it’s risky when detected late.
What is the risk factor for human infection?
When we see symptom of the virus, we should visit the nearest clinic. Early detection is better.
How can the virus be prevented from getting into farms and contacting humans?
If possible, people should stop eating farm products for now, and poultry owners should not stock chickens, until spread of the virus has been curbed. In most cases, people contact the virus directly from the birds.
What is your advice to the general public?
We should all adhere to precautions, wear gloves when taking care of farm products. If we can’t stop eating it, we should make sure it is properly cooked.
EBUBE, Balmgilead Specialist
And Maternity Hospital, Ogba (Lagos)
At what stage can bird flu be detected in human?
Usually, it is always detected late in human, because most times the virus hides under other illnesses like pneumonia, cough, difficulty in breathing and so on. People who contact bird flu are poultry owners, from them another person may contact it, but human to human cases are few.
What is the risk factor for human infection?
The people who are exposed to the infection are mostly owners of poultry, workers in a poultry and the people who come in contact with them. Sharing of towels and sponge with people who touch chicken and other fowls. Doctors are also exposed and other patients in the hospital, where an infected patient is, especially when they have not detected the illness.
How can the virus be prevented from getting into farms and contacting humans?
The first step is, farmers have to be hygienic. They should vaccinate their birds regularly. Farmers are expected to play an important role here, if they take the right measures, it won’t spread. Farmers shouldn’t buy birds for now if they are not sure of their state of health.
What is your advice to the general public?
We should all be at alert. When a chicken is about to die due to an ailment, it’s better to bury the chicken or tie it in a cellophane wrapper and throw it away. It shouldn’t be eaten. Personal hygiene is also important. If you have poultry, protect yourself by wearing gloves and washing your hands regularly.
Poultry farmers on how they cope now that there is outbreak of bird flu
MRS. WILLIAMS, Poultry Farmer
What are the measures you take to prevent bird flu from your farm?
I am very vigilant and I invite a veterinary doctor to give my chickens vaccine. I buy from certified farmers, and make sure they are vaccinated before I take them to my farm.
Do you give your birds a particular vaccine for prevention?
Yes.
How do you protect yourself?
After taking care of my birds, I wash my hands with soap. It’s advisable to bath after touching them. It’s the best way to protect oneself apart from using gloves.
OMOAKEH EFFIONG, Poultry Farmer
What are the measures you take to prevent bird flu from your farm?
It’s not in my farm and I make sure that no other bird comes into my farm now. I have stopped buying chickens for now.
Do you give your birds a particular vaccine for prevention?
Yes, I give them powerful antibiotics.
How do you protect yourself?
It starts from not accepting any bird from any farm. Nobody can enter my farm now because I have to protect my birds in other to protect myself.
RESTAURANT OWNERS
EJIWUNMI TWINS CANTEEN
What measures do you take so as to prevent buying chickens infected with bird flu?
We cook the chicken for a longer period now. We buy life chicken, so if the chicken is not active, it can be a clue that it is not in good health. Buying of life chicken is a better option now, because most times the infected chickens come in frozen from the market but they will tell you they just killed it.
GASTEHOF RESTAURANT
What measures do you take so as to prevent buying chickens infected with bird flu?
Now that bird flu has reappeared, we don’t buy chicken from any place. We have a particular place we buy regularly, and if they don’t have, we don’t buy. We cook our food in a hygienic environment and we cook the chicken well. Boiling your chicken well also kills whatever virus you have in it.
– NKECHINYERE IBEMERE
