Burkina Faso records outbreak of bird flu

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has occurred in Burkina Faso on a farm located in its capital, Ouagadougou. The World Health Organization for Animal Health disclosed that the outbreak killed 441 birds out of a flock of 641…

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) says Burkina Faso has reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu on a farm located in its capital, Ouagadougou.

Citing local authorities, the Paris-based WOAH said in a report that the virus, also called avian influenza, killed 441 birds out of a flock of 641. 

The body says avian influenza has had a staggering toll since 2005, with over 500 million birds lost to the disease worldwide. 

Its devastating impact extends beyond domestic and wild birds, threatening livelihoods, food security, and public health, WHOA added.

This is not the first time that the West African country will be recording severe cases of bird flu. 

In 2022, at least half a million chickens  have been either killed by a bird flu outbreak in Burkina Faso or culled to prevent the virus from spreading. 

Over 1.3 million boxes of eggs were also destroyed to keep the virus in check. 

The government has outlined numerous measures to address the virus, including monitoring areas where wild birds gather for potential cases and capturing and testing sick or dead birds for the virus.

Burkina Faso has been struck by several waves of avian flu since the H5N1 variant swept the globe in 2006.

In most cases, epidemics have been attributed to migratory birds.