- (Bloomberg) -- Mongolia said 80 migratory birds were
found dead in a lake, killed by an avian influenza virus, the World Organization
for Animal Health reported.
-
- Laboratory diagnosis yesterday of the wild ducks, geese
and swans that were found on Aug. 2 has confirmed they died from 'A'-type
bird flu. The Paris-based animal health organization said in an e-mailed
statement that it received the information today from Ravdan Sanjaatogtokh,
director of the state veterinary services at Mongolia's ministry of food
and agriculture in Ulan Bator.
-
- Neighboring China, Russia and Kazakhstan have already
reported outbreaks of an avian influenza virus that had infected 112 people
in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia by Aug. 5, killing 57. Health
experts fear the A/H5N1 virus may mutate into a strain that can be transmitted
easily between humans.
-
- The European Union said earlier today that it plans to
ban imports of live birds, as well as feathers, from Russia and Kazakhstan
because of confirmed outbreaks of avian influenza.
-
- The ban, which will be in place by Aug. 12, will be reviewed
in September, the Brussels-based European Commission, the 25- nation EU's
executive arm, said in a statement.
-
- Russia and Kazakhstan will join a list of nine Asian
countries -- Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, China, Vietnam North
Korea, Pakistan and Malaysia -- that are subject to similar bans. These
nine nations aren't allowed to export birds, their meat or their products
to the EU.
-
- "No ban is necessary for eggs, poultry meat or meat
products on this occasion as there is no trade between Russia and Kazakhstan
and the EU in these products," the commission said.
-
- Disease Spreading
-
- The Russian Emergencies Ministry said 5,573 domestic
and wild birds suspected of being infected have died in Novosibirsk, Omsk
and Altay since July 21, when the A/H5N1 strain was identified in the three
regions bordering Kazakhstan. In the past 24 hours, 217 birds have died,
the ministry said on its Web site. The ministry didn't specify how many
of the dead birds were culled to prevent the disease spreading.
-
- "As of today, the epidemic situation in relation
to diseases caused by this bird flu virus A/H5N1 is stable in relation
to humans," the ministry said. "There are no registered cases
of humans being infected."
-
- Veterinary officials in Kazakhstan have confirmed an
outbreak of bird flu in the country's Pavlodar region that borders Novosibirsk,
Mosnews.com, an online Russian news provider, reported Aug. 5. A disease
with similar symptoms was also killing birds in other parts of Kazakhstan,
the report said.
-
- The United Arab Emirates yesterday banned the import
of all live birds from Russia, according to Gulf News.
-
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