EU bans imports of live birds and feathers from Turkey, bird flu outbreak in Turkey

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 10 Oct 2005 - 15:00 PDT

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After officials in Turkey confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza, the European Commission has banned all imports of feathers and live birds from Turkey. There was also a suspected outbreak in Romania, but the EU is doing nothing about that for the moment. If the Romanian lab results prove positive (results should be in on Wednesday), the EU will act accordingly.

Although the outbreak has been confirmed as bird flu in Turkey, authorities are not sure yet what kind of strain it is - the most dangerous and virulent one is the H5N1 strain.

The outbreak took place in Manyas, where 3,000 poultry have been culled in one farm. The farm has been placed in a 2-mile quarantine. Over 1500 turkeys died of bird flu at that farm last week.

Turkish authorities said this outbreak is not an epidemic, it has not spread outside the farm.

In a positive light, authorities in Turkey say the culled birds do not seem to have bird flu.

Romanian authorities plan to cull 45,000 birds.

Most other non-EU members in Europe have also imposed a ban on Turkish birds and feathers. Switzerland has also banned imports from Romania.

A special laboratory in the United Kingdom is testing to identify the strain of the virus. A team of experts from the UK is going to Romania.

Most experts in Turkey believe the outbreak in Turkey was cause by migrating birds.

Romania and Turkey are hosts to millions of migratory birds every year.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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