Topic Options
Post Options
Thanks(0)
COUNTRIES that are banning imports of poultry from bird flu-affected areas are overreacting, because the meat is safe to eat, an international animal health group said today.
And while wild birds may play a role in spreading the virus, they are not the key to controlling its spread, said Alex Thiermann, president of the standard-setting committee for the World Animal Health Organisation.Mr Thiermann said sensible precautions, such as quickly culling birds in affected areas, can work to control outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza.
"Countries have far exceeded what is science-based and they have further complicated the losses to the industry," Mr Thiermann told the New-Fields' Bird Flu Summit, a meeting of avian influenza experts.
"Eating chicken is not what is going to kill you."
French Trade Minister Christine Lagarde said 20 countries had imposed curbs on imports of French poultry after an outbreak of H5N1 at a turkey farm in the east of the country last week.
< = =text/> < src="http://mercury.tiser.com.au/j/acc_random=167785/SITE=NEWS/AREA=NEWS.WORLD.NAMERICA/AAMSZ=300X250/pageid=8557388" =TEXT/> < = src="http://cm.overture.com/partner/js/ads.js">
No one seems to have become infected merely through handling chicken meat, WHO said.
But poultry sales have plunged and many countries have moved to block imports as the virus spreads among flocks. As many as 19 new countries have reported outbreaks in birds over the past month.
"A lot has to do with the trust level between the public and government," Mr Thiermann said. "We are very lucky in the United States in that the public does believe what the government says."
In Italy, sales of poultry had dropped 70 per cent because of a historical mistrust of government, Mr Thiermann said.
I always believe what the government says. :-)
Corn, darn funny.
