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Bird flu in Asia:
control campaigns need to continue
Around 100 million birds died or culled - international
emergency meeting in Bangkok
Rome,
Outbreaks of avian influenza are still occuring in some Asian
countries, FAO said today, stressing the need for continued
control campaigns.
Countries affected by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus are
Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos,
Thailand and Viet Nam.
"The situation in some countries is still unclear and further
epidemiological investigations are required to get the virus
under control," FAO said.
FAO estimates that about 100 million birds have died or have
been culled to battle the disease (Thailand 36 million, Viet
Nam 36 million, China 5 million, Pakistan 4 million, Indonesia
15 million).
FAO has sent several disease experts to Cambodia, China,
Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam to assess the
local situation and assist countries in their battle against
the disease.
The findings of these missions will be instrumental to
understand the origin of the epidemic and the factors that
lead to such a wide and massive spread of the virus.
Surveillance and control strategies should be continued, FAO
urged, including elimination of all birds in infected
production units and the strengthening of biosecurity
measures.
Officials from 23 Asia-Pacific countries, international
experts, donor and development organizations will meet in
Bangkok, 26-28 February 2004, for a regional emergency meeting
on bird flu to discuss control strategies and rehabilitation
measures.
(APP )
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Pakissan.com;
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