国际英语新闻:Nigeria confirms bird flu outbreak in 11 states

LAGOS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government on Wednesday confirmed the outbreak of bird flu in 11 states.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Akinwumi Adesina made the disclosure at an emergency meeting on Avian Influenza with state commissioners for agriculture in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.

He announced that the government had approved funds to compensate farmers affected by the outbreak of the disease.

The minister directed that the compensation should be paid to the farmers within 72 hours.

Adesina named the states affected by the outbreak of the disease as Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Imo, Oyo and Jigawa states.

The compensation was for 39 farms across nine states where depopulation was carried out as a measure to control the outbreak, he added.

According to him, as at Jan. 21, a total of 139, 505 birds had been exposed with 22, 173 mortality recorded and as at Jan. 27, 232,385 were exposed and 51, 444 mortality recorded.

He said the ministry was working closely to contain the spread of the flu.

The minister said he had directed a nationwide comprehensive surveillance, quarantine, de-population and decontamination of affected poultry farms.