- Title: AZERBAIJAN: Azerbaijan steps up measures against bird flu
- Date: 11th February 2006
- Summary: (BN10) BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (FEBRUARY 11, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE OF BAKU STREET SCENE/ PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET
- Embargoed: 26th February 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Azerbaijan
- Country: Azerbaijan
- Topics: Health,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA3I88UEG223QQ5HQPRF0FZKY5T
- Story Text: Azerbaijan's Chief Epidemiologist Ibadulla Agayev said on Saturday (February 11) there are no human cases of deadly bird flu virus in Azerbaijan, a day after Baku confirmed the deadly strain of bird flu had been found in wild birds on the Caspian Sea.
"In our republic we don't have human cases of the bird flu, you should know that. Among the wild birds - yes, we have it and the Veterinary department is dealing with it" - said Ibadulla Agayev at a press conference in the Azeri capital Baku.
Azerbaijan's Health Ministry said on Friday (February 10) samples from birds found on the Caspian Sea were sent for tests to London and showed the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was present.
Azerbaijan, which has borders with Turkey, Russia, Iran, Armenia and Georgia, has been testing birds after poultry deaths in the south of the country.
In the country's capital Baku. chicken products were removed from shelves because no one was buying them.
"My family has not been eating chicken for the last 10 days. I am a doctor and even before the announcement about it was made on television I decided to stop eating chicken," said Saadat Mamedova, a Baku resident.
"I am afraid to eat chicken. I hope our health authorities will solve this problem in the near future," said Konul Mustafayeva.
Four people have died in neighbouring Turkey from an outbreak of the virus that is concentrated in the east of the country.
While the H5N1 virus mostly affects birds, it has killed at least 88 people in seven countries since it re-emerged in late 2003, with most victims in east Asia.
There is no evidence yet that the virus has mutated to the point that it could spread from human to human, a nightmare scenario for many experts.
H5N1 avian influenza has spread rapidly from Southeast Asia into Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Africa, killing or prompting the culling of hundreds of millions of birds.
Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea are both a destination and a a major migration route for many birds from Russia and Asia seeking a warmer winter in Africa and Europe.
With wild birds infected, health officials said they feared the virus could spread to domestic poultry.
Poultry farms outside Baku, the capital on the shores of the Caspian, cater for the demands of the urban population while many rural Azeris keep chickens at home.
Poultry deaths were reported in the south of the country last month but tests later showed bird flu was not present.
There was no information about where on the Caspian Sea the wild bird samples that tested positive had been taken from. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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