Avian Flu - EU Reports Of Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Bulgaria
The Italian authorities today informed the European Commission of confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in dead wild swans tested on the eastern coast of Sicily, in Taranto (Puglia) and in Calabria. The confirmatory tests were carried out by the Italian national laboratory for avian influenza in Padua (an accredited EU laboratory and also the reference laboratory of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the OIE), following preliminary positive tests undertaken by laboratories in Palermo, Portici and Foggia.
The Italian authorities have given a commitment to the European Commission to apply immediately the same precautionary measures as those set out in the Commission Decision adopted for Greece on Friday. The European Commission will adopt on Monday the same Decision for Italy, setting out interim protection measures in relation to cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in Italy.
The measures being applied by Italy are, as for Greece, the establishment of a high risk area (a 3 km protection zone) around each of the outbreaks and a surrounding surveillance zone of 10 km. In the protection zone, poultry must be kept indoors, movement of poultry is banned except directly to the slaughterhouse and the dispatch of meat outside the zone is forbidden except where products have undergone the controls provided for in EU food controls legislation (i.e meat sourced from healthy animals in registered farms, subject to ante and post mortem checks by vets in the slaughterhouse). In both the protection zone and the surveillance zone, on-farm biosecurity measures must be strengthened, hunting of wild birds is banned and disease awareness of poultry owners and their families must be carried out.
The avian influenza situation in Italy and other affected countries will be reviewed by the Standing Committee on the Food and Chain and Animal Health which meets on 16-17 February.
Avian Influenza: Highly pathogenic H5N1 virus confirmed in Bulgaria
The European Commission has been informed today that test results from the EU Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge confirm that the recent case of avian influenza in wild swans in Bulgaria was caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. The disease was detected in wild swans in the Bulgarian wetland region of Vidin, close to the Romanian border, last week. The Bulgarian authorities have also informed the Commission of other suspected cases in wetlands close to the Black sea. The Commission is preparing a decision banning imports of live poultry and birds, wild feathered game meat and meat products, eggs and unprocessed feathers from the affected areas in Bulgaria, and this decision is expected to be endorsed by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) on 16 February. Currently, no Bulgarian poultry or poultry products can be imported into the EU, as restrictive measures are already in place due to recent Newcastle disease outbreaks in Bulgaria. However, as the Newcastle Disease restrictions are expected to be reviewed and possibly eased in the near future, it is necessary to also adopt this regionalised import ban for the areas affected with avian influenza.
Avian Influenza: Highly pathogenic H5N1 virus confirmed in Greece
The European Commission has been informed that test results from the EU Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge confirm that the outbreak of avian influenza in wild swans in Greece was caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. The results come from samples taken from 3 dead wild swans found in the prefectures of Thessaloniki and Pieria earlier this week. As the Commission already adopted a Decision on Friday, laying down strict safeguard measures to be applied in the affected areas of Thessaloniki and Pieria (see MEX/06/0210), no further EU measures need to be taken in relation to Greece at this time. The avian influenza situation in Greece and other affected countries will be reviewed by the Standing Committee on the Food and Chain and Animal Health which meets on 16-17 February.
Avian influenza H5 confirmed in a swan in Slovenia: Slovenian authorities implement the same measures as in Greece and Italy
The Slovenian authorities today informed the European Commission of a confirmed case of avian influenza virus H5 in swan. The Slovenian Laboratory for Avian influenza has made the first analysis, and samples have been sent to the EU Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge (United Kingdom) for further tests. The Slovenian authorities have given a commitment to the European Commission to apply immediately the same precautionary measures as those set out in the Commission Decision adopted for Greece on Friday, and applied in Italy during the week end.
The measures being applied by Slovenia are, as for Greece and Italiy, the establishment of a high risk area (a 3 km protection zone) around the area where the swan was found, and a surrounding surveillance zone of 10 km. The Slovenian authorities are in close contact with their Austrian counterpart, since the 10km surveillance area crosses the Slovenian-Austrian border.
In the protection zone, poultry must be kept indoors, movement of poultry is banned except directly to the slaughterhouse and the dispatch of meat outside the zone is forbidden except where products have undergone the controls provided for in EU food controls legislation (i.e meat sourced from healthy animals in registered farms, subject to ante and post mortem checks by vets in the slaughterhouse). In both the protection zone and the surveillance zone, on-farm biosecurity measures must be strengthened, hunting of wild birds is banned and disease awareness of poultry owners and their families must be carried out.
The avian influenza situation in Italy, Greece, Slovenia and other affected countries will be reviewed by the Standing Committee on the Food and Chain and Animal Health which meets on 16-17 February.
http://europa.eu.int
Ceaiul verde - Rapoarte ale UE, Italia, Grecia, Slovenia, Bulgaria - Avian Flu - EU Reports Of Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Bulgaria - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate