Nigeria testing 14 people for bird flu

ABUJA – Nigeria is testing samples from 14 people, including three who died, for possible bird flu, a senior official at the Health Ministry said yesterday.

Samples from a mother and daughter who died in Lagos and a woman who died in remote eastern Taraba state after suffering flu-like symptoms are being tested to determine whether the H5N1 strain of bird flu was present. Authorities gave conflicting information about tests on the mother and daughter, however.Lola Sadiq, in charge of monitoring Nigeria’s bird flu crisis at the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Abuja, said they had tested negative for bird flu.She did not have any information about the Taraba case.Abdulsalam Nasidi, in charge of efforts to prevent bird flu from spreading to humans in Nigeria, said the three had tested positive for flu which is very common at this time of year due to the seasonal harmattan wind.”The tests will show if it was common flu or bird flu,” Nasidi said, adding that they were being conducted at a laboratory in the capital Abuja.The other 11 samples are from people who came into contact with those who died.Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, was the first on the continent to detect bird flu a year ago.The virus has spread to 17 of the 36 states but no human case has been confirmed so far.Bird flu has killed at least 163 people around the world, according to the most recent figures from the WHO.There are fears it could spark a pandemic in which millions could die if it mutates into a form that passes easily from person to person.Experts warn surveillance in Nigeria may not be completely effective because of poor health services.Many Nigerians die young of a variety of diseases and few families can afford the luxury of a doctor to determine the cause of death.Nigeria is one of three countries regarded by experts as the weakest areas in the global attempt to stem infections among birds.The disease was first discovered in the northern state of Kaduna a year ago and despite measures such as culling, quarantine and a transport ban on live birds it spread quickly across the country.Millions of Nigerians keep live poultry in their backyards and in the absence of refrigerators in most households, birds are transported and sold live and killed just before eating.The majority of Nigeria’s 140 million people live below the poverty line and cannot afford to reject diseased birds.This has raised concern among experts that the country could become a permanent host to the virus.Nampa-ReutersAuthorities gave conflicting information about tests on the mother and daughter, however.Lola Sadiq, in charge of monitoring Nigeria’s bird flu crisis at the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Abuja, said they had tested negative for bird flu.She did not have any information about the Taraba case.Abdulsalam Nasidi, in charge of efforts to prevent bird flu from spreading to humans in Nigeria, said the three had tested positive for flu which is very common at this time of year due to the seasonal harmattan wind.”The tests will show if it was common flu or bird flu,” Nasidi said, adding that they were being conducted at a laboratory in the capital Abuja.The other 11 samples are from people who came into contact with those who died.Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, was the first on the continent to detect bird flu a year ago.The virus has spread to 17 of the 36 states but no human case has been confirmed so far.Bird flu has killed at least 163 people around the world, according to the most recent figures from the WHO.There are fears it could spark a pandemic in which millions could die if it mutates into a form that passes easily from person to person.Experts warn surveillance in Nigeria may not be completely effective because of poor health services.Many Nigerians die young of a variety of diseases and few families can afford the luxury of a doctor to determine the cause of death.Nigeria is one of three countries regarded by experts as the weakest areas in the global attempt to stem infections among birds.The disease was first discovered in the northern state of Kaduna a year ago and despite measures such as culling, quarantine and a transport ban on live birds it spread quickly across the country.Millions of Nigerians keep live poultry in their backyards and in the absence of refrigerators in most households, birds are transported and sold live and killed just before eating.The majority of Nigeria’s 140 million people live below the poverty line and cannot afford to reject diseased birds.This has raised concern among experts that the country could become a permanent host to the virus.Nampa-Reuters