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KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait has sufficient quantity of Tamiflu, an anti-viral
drug, to deal with any possible outbreak of avian influenza in the
country, Dr Ahmad Al-Shatti, spokesman for the Ministry of Health (MoH)
told the Arab Times on Tuesday. Kuwait on Monday detected 12 new cases
of bird flu in chickens and turkeys — taking the total number of cases
in the country to 32. Soon after the discovery of the avian influenza
cases, Kuwait slapped a ban on the import and export of all live
poultry products. The bird market in Shuwaikh has also been ordered
shut and poultry farms are being fumigated across the country.
“We
have about 5 million capsules of Tamiflu and we will regularly review
the bird flu situation in the country to meet any future demand for the
drug,” Dr Al-Shatti added. Dr Al-Shatti affirmed that either migratory
birds or ailing falcons smuggled into the country may have contributed
to the H5N1 strain. Replying to a question, Dr Al-Shatti observed that
the samples of the new cases have not been sent to the UK for
confirmation. “This is because it takes as long as a week to get the
test results and our tests last time were 100 percent accurate as we
observe all international regulations,” Al-Shatti added.
Referring
to the joint task force being formed by the Public Authority for
Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) and the Ministry of
Health to counter the deadly disease, Dr Al-Shatti observed that PAAAFR
will deal with bird flu cases while any human case will be referred to
MoH.
Chairman of Pharmacists at Amiri Hospital Dr Essam Al-Bouha
speaking to Al-Rai confirmed that has large stock of Tamiflu to cover
the needs of the people in the country.
“The Health Ministry has
been working hard to stock Tami Flu, which will protect humans from
bird flu disease,” he added. Al-Bouha also said “although bird flu is
not considered to be dangerous to humans until now, the Health Ministry
has made necessary arrangements to prevent the outbreak of this disease
in coordination with the concerned government departments.”
Indicating
people with heart, kidney and respiratory system problems should be
careful in using Tamiflu because of the side-effects, he said “those
who are infected with bird flu should take necessary medication
immediately when they show symptoms of the disease.” Al-Bouha went on
to say patients who take Tamiflu should eat enough food to prevent
digestion problems, adding “there is no scientific evidence to prove
Tamiflu is found in mothers’ milk. Until now no vaccine has been
developed against the H5N1 strain of bird flu.” Humans infected with
bird flu should be admitted to nearest specialized hospital to prevent
the spread of the virus, he added.
“Although no human
transmission of bird flu has been reported since 1997, it does not mean
this is not possible,” he said. “The people of Kuwait should be careful
against type A of this disease, which can attack cancer patients, aged
persons and children.” Stressing the current cases in Kuwait is not a
cause for alarm and should not create panic among residents of the
country, Al-Bouha said “birds can transfer this desease when they touch
each other, especially in wet areas including the mouth. When the
saliva of infected bird dries and spreads in air, other birds which
inhale the virus will also get infected, he noted.
“Infected
birds show symptoms of the disease within three to five days,” he said.
“Such birds should be killed and buried, and people should inform the
concerned authorities.”
He warned employees of poultry units are
more likely to get affected by the bird flu virus, saying “they should
comply with necessary precautionary procedures.” Bird flu virus can
remain alive for a long time in the excreta of chicken and other birds
besides water, he said.
The Health Ministry closed down the bird
markets and the Kuwait Zoo on Sunday, when tests confirmed 20 cases of
the disease in falcons, chickens and turkeys. It also banned all
imports and exports of birds and intensified fumigation of poultry
farms and random testing of birds. Bird flu has killed at least 167
people worldwide since it broke out in Asian poultry stocks in 2003. It
remains hard for humans to catch, but experts fear the virus could
mutate into a form that passes easily among people, potentially
sparking a pandemic. So far, most human cases have been linked to
contact with infected birds.
HH Acting Amir and Crown Prince
Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah gave instructions to the
authorities to take precautionary measures against the spread of the
bird flue virus. In a meeting at Bayan Palace, Sheikh Nawaf called upon
first Deputy Prime Minster and Minister of Interior and Defense Sheikh
Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Health Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah
Al-Sabah, and Minster of Social affairs and Labor Sheikh Sabah
Al-Khalid Al-Sabah to do everything possible to prevent the spread of
the flu.
HH also called for cooperation between authorities in
order to combat this disease, reacting to any suspected case which
might carry the flu to citizens and expatriates.
As a precautionary
measure, Kuwait Municipality Tuesday banned slaughtering and selling of
live poultry in all governorates for a three-month period.
Municipality’s
emergency committee; which includes representatives from the ministry
of commerce, customs department, Public Authority for Agricultural
Affairs and Fish Resources, in addition to Kuwait’s Institute for
Scientific Research, held an extraordinary meeting Tuesday to discuss
recent developments vis-a-vis the outspread of the virus, a
municipality official told KUNA.
All six governorates in Kuwait
were alerted to conduct health inspections on all poultry shops, the
official said, adding that reports on field procedures of these
inspections were to be provided by Public Authority for Agricultural
and Fish Resources to the committee. The Municipality’s Public
Relations Department would also conduct an awareness campaign about the
virus, in order to enlighten citizens and expatriates of procedures
followed to avoid infections with the disease, the official said.
By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo - Arab Times Staff & Agencies |
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