H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Confirmed in Pakistani Poultry
Posted on: Wednesday, 22 March 2006, 09:01 CST
H5N1 bird flu virus confirmed in Pakistani poultry
ISLAMABAD, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Tuesday confirmed for the first time the H5N1 bird flu virus in poultry flocks in the country's northwestern parts, a government statement said.
The samples were sent to a laboratory in Britain after Pakistan announced the presence of Avian Influenza H5 on Feb. 27 on two farms in its North West Frontier Province, the statement said.
"Samples were also sent to World Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza at Weybridge, England as per international norm and requirement and they have also endorsed the finding of our laboratory that infection was avian influenza H5N1," said the statement from Pakistan's ministry of food, agriculture and livestock.
According to the statement, the National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory in Islamabad has earlier diagnosed the infection as avian influenza H5 and then samples were also sent to England.
Provincial governments are undertaking extensive surveillance, the statement said. The technical staff of the provincial livestock department will collect samples, test these at their labs and send the suspected samples to the reference laboratory in Islamabad.
Ministry spokesman Mohammad Afzal said that some additional samples were also sent which proved to be negative in both national and international laboratories.
The statement urged all the poultry farmers that they should increase the level of bio-security at their farms and immediately report any abnormal or high morality to local veterinarian of district livestock and poultry development officer for immediate diagnosis.
Afzal said that necessary steps were taken to minimize spread of infection to other poultry farms in the vicinity and the country in general.
"These farms were quarantined and all the birds at these farms were culled with the cooperation of the poultry farmers and Pakistan Poultry Association," he said.
He said that the farm premises were disinfected and the health ministry also sent teams to examine the workers and declared them healthy and free of infection.
"All provincial governments have since been undertaking increased surveillance and so far no new farm bird has been found to be affected with the disease anywhere in the country," the spokesman said.
Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS
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