In all seven countries have reported the bird flu virus in Africa...

The bird flu virus has been found in the African country of Togo after clinical testing was carried out on hundreds of birds that had mysteriously died. This is worrying news for the government of Togo who had been completely bird flu free until now. Testing done in neighbouring Ghana confirmed the H5N1 virus and to be doubly sure the samples are being sent to Italy to be checked again but the Ministry of Agriculture in Togo said that they were sure that it was the H5N1 virus.

In all seven countries have reported the bird flu virus in Africa and if the disease were to take hold in an African country it could be extremely serious for the bird and human population. The country in Africa that has been hit the hardest by the bird flu virus is Nigeria which has had to cull more than 1 million birds in practically all parts of the country. Poor African countries have less access to efficient and proper medical and veterinary care and the distances and terrain involved in some of these huge countries coupled with an inefficient government structure could be catastrophic for the population.

In Togo where the outbreak occurred the local area has been quarantined meaning that no birds or people are allowed in or out of the area around the farm. Some bird flu experts say that they think the flu virus was brought into the country by a farmer who had purchased many birds from Ghana.

This outbreak has not been confirmed by the World Health Organisation which is responsible for all bird flu statistics around the world but it is likely that very soon it will be. Poor African countries have less stockpiles of the all important bird flu drug Tamiflu and should a bird flu pandemic break out in one of these countries it is likely that the World Health Organisation will have to step in and donate large quantities of the bird flu drug.