LAGOS, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has been found at three more Nigerian farms, officials said on Thursday, as Nigeria and international experts struggled to curb Africa's first outbreak of the disease within the country's borders.

    Tope Ajakaiye, spokesman for the agriculture ministry, said health workers had detected the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus at three farms in the northern states of Kaduna and Kano, and the central state of Plateau.

    "The first measure the government took is to quarantine the farms," Ajakaiye told Xinhua from the capital Abuja. "Apart from that, the ministry is cordoning off the area to prevent the disease from spreading to the surrounding areas."

    Meanwhile, more than 60,000 chickens had died at other farms in Kano state following the outbreak of a "strange" disease, said Alhaji Auwalu Haruna, secretary of the state branch of the Poultry Association of Nigeria.

    Salihu Jibrin of the state Director of Veterinary Services told the official News Agency of Nigeria that the government would only confirm whether the disease was the dreaded bird flu after the result of the analysis had been released.

    Nigeria is the first on the continent, which many believe is ill-equipped to handle an epidemic, to report an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu that has claimed at least 88 lives,mostly in Asia, since 1997.

    Officials said that the first confirmed outbreak in Africa occurred at a commercial farm at Jaji village in Kaduna state on January 10 this year, leaving more than 40,000 birds dead. Nigerian Agriculture Minister Malam Adamu Bello on Wednesday suspected the virus was brought through birds from Asia, North America and Europe that have migrated into its wetlands in winter.

    So far, all the remaining chickens at the farm had been slaughtered and the farm emptied as policemen surrounded the area to check the movements of birds and people there on Thursday. Morethan 2,000 ostriches and geese will also be slaughtered.

    Bello had promised to pay compensation of 250 naira (1.92 U.S. dollars) on each chicken killed from an emergency allocation of 1.5 billion naira (11.5 million dollars).

    Although the government assured the public that the outbreak was under firm control, poultry farms in the north had begun slaughtering their chickens and selling them at give-away prices of 150 naira (1.2 dollars) each. Most people, however, didn't careto buy.

    "How many farmers know what is called avian influenza and its effect on their lives," asked Bala Mohammed, general secretary of the National Veterinary Medical Association. He urged government and relevant agencies to immediately embark on extensive sensitization campaign to empower members of the public with the right information.

    On his part, Nigerian Health Minister Eyitayo Lambo tried to allay fears of the public and advised Nigerians not to panic but to report all persons who had contact with suspected birds.

    "I wish to state, for the avoidance of doubt, that no human infection has been established in Nigeria so far," Lambo said in astatement. "At the same time, we are instituting active surveillance among the human population living around areas affected," he added.

    The H5N1 virus has only spread from infected animals to humans so far, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that itcould change into a form that spreads easily from person to person.If so, experts believe that it could rival AIDS which currently rampages in Africa.

    The international community pledges to help. Experts from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention are expected in Nigeria in the next few days, officials said.

    The U.S. government will also provide Nigeria 25 million U.S. dollars and 2,000 protective suits to help combat the disease, said Ajakaiye, spokesman for the agriculture ministry.

    "Tomorrow, there will be an international donor meeting which will be attended by international institutions such as the World Bank. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) at the agriculture ministry," he added.

    Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 virus were first reported in poultry at farms and wet markets in Hong Kong in 1997 and have since spread to other Asian regions and a few parts of Europe.

    Of all influenza viruses that circulate in birds, the H5N1 virus is of greatest present concern for human health. According to the World Health Organization, a total of 165 human cases of the virus have been reported so far around the world, and at least88 of them have died. Enditem