Myanmar confirms bird flu outbreak in five townships in Yangon
27/3/2007 15:54
The Myanmar livestock authorities have confirmed that five townships in
Yangon have been hit by H5N1 outbreak, according to a statement of the Livestock
Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) released today.
The five townships
are Mayangon, Hlaingtharya, North Okkalapa, Mingaladon and Hmawby.
Poultry,
quails and pheasants of the affected farms together with those from possibly
affected farms and from farms that are contiguous with the affected farms were
culled and necessary preventive measures are being taken, the statement
said.
Although H5N1 strain of bird flu was found at some poultry farms in the
five townships, the dead bodies of some chickens and geese from several other
townships in Yangon and Bago divisions were not found to be infected with bird
flu, it said. Of the 324 crows, pigeons and sparrows, doves, which died during
the period since the end of February, only six crows were suspicious of being
infected with the avian influenza. The others died of heat stroke, chronic
bronchitis and small pox.
The authorities have warned breeders and those
engaged in poultry marketing to use new farm equipment instead of the old ones
and to ensure that crows do not enter poultry farms.
Suspicious avian
influenza was first detected on February 27 by Myanmar in a small private
poultry farm in northwestern Yangon's suburban township of Mayangon.
In the
outbreak, 1,863 fowls died of the virus with 37,883 culled, according to earlier
statement of the LBVD.
Meanwhile, two townships, Mayangon and the
Hlaingtharya, have been further confirmed of the bird flu outbreak by experts of
the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UNAID.
The
FAO agreed on March 10 to provide immediate technical assistance to strengthen
emergency preparedness for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The assistance
also includes equipment worth of US$600,000 donated by the USAID to be used in
preventive measures against the disease.
According to the Myanmar
authorities, no human cases have so far been detected with bird flu virus in
Yangon.
Xinhua
|
