Bird Flu, WHO Experts Arrive In Nigeria

Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Public Health
Article Date: 16 Feb 2006 - 14:00 PDT

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A team of World Health Organization (WHO) experts led by the Agency's Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, arrived Nigeria Sunday to support the country's efforts to contain an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza which was first reported in Nigeria on 6 February.

The WHO team Monday began meeting with Government officials and representatives of international organizations such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and UNICEF which are already working locally to check the spread of the H5N1 virus.

''Our team is now working with local officials and partner agencies to assess the situation and ensure that humans are not infected with the virus '' Dr Sambo said.

He added: ''Nigeria is a densely populated country with a highly mobile population. Containing the outbreak in Nigeria -- and elsewhere around the world where the disease has occurred -- is crucial as this will save the world community a public health nightmare.''

Other forms of support expected to be provided by WHO to the Nigerian government include technical assistance for social mobilization, active surveillance and case detection; strengthening of laboratories to facilitate investigations and confirmation of diagnosis; supply of personal protective equipment including security gears such as masks and gloves, and supply of laboratory reagents and drugs such as Tamiflu - an antiviral drug considered a first line of defence against avian influenza.

Occurrence of the bird flu virus has so far been confirmed in poultry in the three northern states of Kaduna, Kano and Plateau. Unconfirmed cases, also in poultry, have however been reported in Yobe, Nassarawa and Jigawa states as well as in the Federal Capital Territory - all in the north of the country

The group of WHO experts which has arrived to strengthen the Nigerian team is made of up epidemiologists, bacteriologists, logisticians, virologists, laboratory experts, public health specialists and experts in data management and human health surveillance.

http://www.afro.who.int

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