Dr Emmanuel Kwao Pecku, the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Veterinary Officer, who confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency, said a case of the suspected bird flu outbreak was reported to the office by the owners of the farm.

Dr Pecku said that based on the information, veterinary officers were deployed to Stardon Farms.

An antigen test was conducted to ascertain whether it was avian influenza disease.

He said the veterinary officers were working around the clock to contain the situation, adding that the poultry industry risks suffering a major setback and that the situation was very disturbing.

Dr Pecku urged poultry farmers to adhere to strict sanitary measures to protect their birds from the outbreak.

He called on the Government, through the Agricultural Ministry, to adopt measures to curb the spread of avian influenza in the country.

The communities are Kakasunanka, Katamanso, and Kpone, the Municipal capital.

In an interview with the Municipal Veterinary Officer, Dr Emmanuel Kwao Pecku said the deadly disease was real and charged residents to pay critical attention to it.

Dr Pecku advised the residents to vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies. He said  it was worrying that children were most at risk since they usually came into contacts with cats and  dogs.

According to the Municipal Vetenary Officer, rabies cases were 100 per cent fatal, saying residents should not hesitate to report dog bites to the nearest health post for immediate treatment and investigation.

He explained that, though the infection could be fatal, it is also preventable when vaccinated. “Once you vaccinate your dogs, people would be safe when they get biten, ” he said.

Dr. Pecku added that the rabies campaign which was expected to end on January 15, 2021, is aimed at creating awareness on rabies and getting most dogs within the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality vaccinated.

“The animal vaccines are currently available but human vaccines have run out of stock,” he said.

He urged persons bitten by dogs and other animals to immediately wash the affected place with carbolic soap under running water for about 15 minutes and apply rubbing alcohol to reduce the viral load contained in the infected animal’s saliva from entering deep into the nerves after which medical care should be sought immediately.

He reminded hospitals and pharmacies to refer dog bite cases to the veterinaries in accordance with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations, explaining that it was their duty to diagnose animals for rabies, and give medics the needed information for  treating a victim