Bird flu found in swans in Western Europe |
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Mon, 13 Feb 2006 02:05
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ROME - The EU's worst fears came true as it was reported that the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus was detected in swans in Western Europe mainly in Greece and Italy. The announcement of the detection of the disease in five swans in the south of Italy came just 24 hours after the Winter Olympics began in Turin.
But organizers are reportedly not panicking and have assured that the strictest measures would be taken. Italian health officials said the virus had attacked only wild birds and as of now there was no case in poultry animals and no fear of spreading to humans. The European Union also confirmed that the H5N1 strain had been found in Bulgaria as well and again the main birds to be infected were wild swans.
Italian Health Minister Francesco Storace said that the infection had arrived in Italy, but there was no cause for large-scale panic, "It is certain that the virus has arrived in Italy. I don't think we in Italy are in the habit of cooking swans and eating them," he said. The birds are believed to have migrated from Russia, according to a local health official.
Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said that Italy was ready to face any possible outbreak, "In most of western Europe there are very effective veterinary services and the poultry industry is of an advanced sort, not the 'backyard' sort, so the likelihood of there being a danger to the human population is very much less than, say, in Africa," a spokesman for the FAO said.
In Bulgaria, dead swans have been found and after testing it was confirmed to be bird flu. Bulgarian police have been ordered to shoot any wild animals that might gather around the remains of the swans.
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Government accused of being lax over quarantine procedures 