By Damali Muhkaye
The ministry of agriculture has declared Uganda free of Avian flu (H5N1), a virus that affects both wild and domestic birds.
The first-ever outbreak of the deadly Avian flu was reported in the country in January 2017 following multiple tests at both agricultural and human health laboratories.
Addressing journalists at the Media Center, the state minister for agriculture Christopher Kibazanga said the announcement has been made after the ministry undertook surveillance control measures and laboratory samples collected tested negative since March 2017.
He said the governments of Kenya, Tanzania, Southern Sudan and Rwanda with the exception of DR Congo have helped Uganda in the fight against the virus.
Following the outbreak, all the neighbouring countries slapped a ban on Uganda’s poultry products but Kenya has now partially lifted the ban while other countries are yet to take any positive action.
10,000 wild birds are estimated to have died while 50,000 domestic birds are estimated to have been lost to bird flu.
