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Azerbaijan May See Bird Flu Despite Ban on Poultry Imports - TV

Posted on: Tuesday, 25 October 2005, 06:00 CDT

Excerpt from report by Azerbaijani private TV station ATV on 24 October

[Presenter] Despite preventive measures taken by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, bird flu may spread in the country as the ban on bird hunting and poultry imports into the country is ignored in some places. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has already appealed to the Ministries of Interior and Taxes in this connection.

[Correspondent] All ecology agencies in Azerbaijan have stepped up their work after the bird flu virus was found in neighbouring countries. In some places, the temporary ban on bird hunting is ignored and even hunted birds of passage are being sold, Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Huseyn Bagirov has said. Bagirov said his ministry had appealed to the Ministries of Internal affairs and Taxes to prevent any such cases from taking place.

In order to avert the spread of bird flu, blood samples have been taken in areas where birds of passage live, Bagirov said. The appropriate bodies were immediately asked to take measures after the bird flu virus had been detected in birds via natural means, Bagirov said.

While speaking on the measures taken against the spread bird flu, Bagirov also put forward some proposals and issued some instructions on the spot.

[Bagirov shown speaking at a meeting] The education work should be stepped up. Now the education offices of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources should work more effectively in localities.

Secondly, we should monitor the situation in localities. The monitoring services are being gradually equipped with labs. They will use up-to-date methods while monitoring the situation.

But now, we should conduct simple observations very correctly. And this is a very good suggestion. In general, dead birds should be immediately taken to nearby veterinary laboratories.

[Passage omitted: Bagirov says it is important to prevent the spread the virus among people]

Source: BBC Monitoring Central Asia

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