Togo reports outbreak of H5N1 bird flu

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – Togolese authorities and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on Wednesday reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus on a poultry farm in the West African country.

The outbreak occurred near the capital Lome and has killed 1,450 of a flock of 1,500 birds, with the remaining birds being slaughtered, WOAH said in a statement.

The government warned that the period from June to October is conducive to the outbreak of avian influenza and African swine fever.

“We call on farmers to be more vigilant and strictly comply with biosecurity measures in order to protect their farms from any major infection,” the government said.

Outbreaks of Avian influenza, or bird flu, can heavily impact the poultry industry, the health of wild birds, and farmers' livelihoods, as well as international trade, according to WOAH.

In April, Senegal’s Livestock Ministry reported an outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm in the village of Potou near the northwestern town of Louga, killing hundreds of birds.