AI - EU meeting

EU health ministers to hold emergency meeting on bird flu
Health ministers of the European Union (EU) members and international
experts will hold emergency talks on Friday in Vienne to seek measures to
deal with the outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, Austria's health
minister said on Thursday.
Maria Rauch-Kallat, who will chair the talks, called for quick actions to
bring anti-bird flu plans to an appropriate level, noting that EU-wide there
are countries well-prepared for the outbreaks and also countries less
well-prepare
The one-day meeting will focus on dispelling fears that bird flu is posing
an imminent threat to humans, and highlighting the importance of prevention
and awareness, officials close to the meeting said.
The Vienna meeting will also be attended by experts from the World Health
Organization (WHO), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the
Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health.
The participants are also to discuss progress in preparations against a
possible human flu pandemic at the meeting, though there have been no human
cases of the virus in the EU.
The talks came after French authorities sealed off a turkey farm Thursday
which is suspected to have been infected by the H5N1 virus. If confirmed, it
would mark the first time that the deadly strain has spread to domestic
poultry in the EU.
In its most highly pathogenic form, the H5N1 virus has devastated poultry
populations and killed at least 92 people, mostly in Asia, since 2003. The
virus has already spread to 10 European countries.
Germany's agricultural authorities said on Thursday that 110 cases of the
H5N1 infections had been confirmed in the country among wild birds.
While no EU farm birds have yet tested positive for the disease so far,
experts have warned that it is only a matter of time for the virus to spread
from wild birds to domestic poultry.


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regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
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Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk


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