Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Samoan Health Ministry investigating chicken deaths

Posted at 22:04 on 02 May, 2006 UTC

Samoa’s Health Ministry is testing chickens belonging to a family in Maninoa Siumu after ten chickens died in the space of one week.

The family says it tried to alert the health and agriculture ministeries last week to get their chickens checked for the bird flu virus but they had no response.

A family member reported this to the Samoa Observer Newspaper, who publicised the chicken deaths and the lack of interest from authorities.

Family member Sepa Folesi said that the health and agriculture ministries have now taken samples from the chickens for testing.