Myanmar calls for precaution against cross-border bird flu
5/12/2008 16:32
The Myanmar Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) today
called on the country's people to take preventive measures against cross-border
bird flu, saying that the avian influenza was found occurring intermittently in
neighboring countries in both the east and the northwest since last
month.
The statement of LBVD attributed the phenomena to have been caused by
migratory wild birds, carriers of deadly H5N1 virus from one place to
another.
The statement urged poultry traders to step up bio-security measures
against the probability.
Migratory birds from different regions across the
world used to fly over Myanmar territory during the winter season period between
November and February, especially December, according to experts.
The
authorities have also called for keeping awareness about the modes of infection
of the avian influenza and intensifying precautionary and educational measures
to prevent any occurrence in humans and birds.
Meanwhile, Myanmar is
cooperating with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) in prevention against avian
influenza.
In April this year, the World Animal Health Organization (OIE)
declared Myanmar as a bird-flu-free country three months after the country was
proved that there was no residual bird flu virus remained over the period since
January.
Over the past two years since February 2006 until the last in
December 2007, there were numerous outbreaks of the avian influenza in Myanmar
covering 25 townships of six states and divisions.
All of the occurrences
were blamed for infecting from abroad especially that the virus was carried into
the country by migratory birds from the cold regions in the world infecting
local birds, according to the LBVD.
Myanmar reported outbreak of the avian
influenza in the country for the first time in some poultry farms in Mandalay
and Sagaing divisions in early 2006, followed by those in Yangon division in
early 2007, in Mon state's Thanbyuzayat and western Bago division' s Letpadan in
July and in eastern Bago division's Thanatpin and in Yangon division's Hmawby in
October the same year.
Despite the declaration as a bird-flu-free country,
the Myanmar livestock authorities continued to call on the country's people to
exercise a long-term precaution against the deadly H5N1 bird flu.
Xinhua
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