Togo's Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Yves Madow Nagou, confirmed here late Friday, the outbreak of bird flu in a poultry farm at Sigbehoue, south-east of the country. "Preliminary findings from a laboratory in Accra, Ghana, confirmed the existence of bird flu (at the farm)," the Minister said, adding that some samples were also sent to Italy.
The farm has reported the death of half of its estimated 5,574 fowls this month.Nagou also said the farm had since 13 June culled many fowls and their carcasses burnt or buried, while the farm had been quarantined to stem contamination.
In February 2006, Togo launched an action plan, involving a national warning system, training of medical staff and tightening of surveillance against bird flu.
The country has since October 2006 banned the import of "poultry and its by-products" from countries affected by the flu.