Print

Mail

wiki links

Bird flu not under control: WHO

A Japanese mother and her child feed pigeons outside Ueno zoo in Tokyo yesterday. Zoo operators in Japan are taking measures to prevent bird flu from spreading to their facilities and to reassure visitors following two outbreaks of the disease in western Japan, zoo officials said on Wednesday. Tokyo's Ueno Zoo removed 66 chickens, ducks and geese from its petting zoo where children can have direct contact with the birds. The zoo also advised visitors to wash their hands. PHOTO: EPA

Thailand launched a probe yesterday into whether scores of cattle deaths were from bird flu, while experts said migratory birds, fighting cocks and farmers' trucks could be behind the disease's continued spread through Asia despite massive culls.

None of the eight Asian countries struck by the bird-flu strain that has decimated poultry and killed 22 people have managed to control their outbreaks despite intense efforts in many of them, the World Health Organization said yesterday.

The WHO urged more vigilance against the disease -- highly contagious among birds but not yet shown to easily pass between people -- and said prospects for wiping out the virus any time soon have worsened as the virus spreads.

Affected countries have slaughtered more than 80 million chicken and other fowl.

The WHO cited ways the virus may be spreading despite those efforts: Prized fighting cocks hidden from culling authorities by their owners, migratory birds who carry the virus but are not sickened by it and farming vehicles spreading contamination to neighboring farms.

"The present situation in Asia needs to be watched very carefully. Countries need to maintain a high level of vigilance and must not relax their surveillance and detection efforts," the WHO said in a report posted yesterday in Asia. "Complete elimination of the virus is becoming increasingly challenging."

Past outbreaks of the H5N1 strain -- which killed six people in Hong Kong in 1997 -- have taken years to bring under control but never has the disease spread so far, so fast, as with this year's outbreak.

Thailand announced earlier this week that it confirmed the H5N1 strain in hundreds of migratory storks found dead on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Yesterday, Thai officials launched an urgent probe into the deaths in early February of 196 cows and buffalos near the mountains of northeastern Kalasin province. Samples from carcasses were being collected for testing.

"So far, we only know that the cattle were local breeds and were roaming freely in the village," said Director General Yukol Limlamthong of Thailand's Livestock Department.

The latest two human deaths were announced on Wednesday -- one each in Thailand and Vietnam, the only two places where the virus has jumped to humans this year. Both of the victims were 4-year-old boys.

Asia is on a regionwide health alert with China reporting new infections in its poultry nearly every day. Also affected by the H5N1strain are Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos and South Korea.

"Full control has not yet been achieved in any of these countries, despite intensive efforts in many," the WHO said.
This story has been viewed 2686 times.