out break in Hungary probably H5N1

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http://orange.advfn.com/news_Outbreak-of-bird-flu-in-Hungary-is-probably-deadly-H5N1-EU_19132069.html

Outbreak of bird flu in Hungary is probably deadly H5N1 - EU

         BRUSSELS (AFX) - An outbreak of bird flu in southeastern Hungary is probably

the deadly H5N1 strain, the European Commission warned Friday.

    "All tests carried out by the Hungarian authorities so far indicate that the

highly pathogenic H5N1 virus was responsible for the outbreak," the EU's

executive arm said in a statement.

    European Commission spokesman for health issues Philip Tod said that samples

had been sent to an EU lab outside London for confirmation that the virus was

the H5N1 strain that has killed about 160 people worldwide since late 2003.

    He also assured a news conference that the Hungarian authorities were taking

all the necessary action in culling the affected flock of geese and setting up

safety zones around the farm in question.

    "There is no cause for concern and therefore no justification for other

measures to be taken," he said.

    If the H5N1 case is confirmed it will be the first in the European Union

since last August. The vast majority of the deaths from bird flu have been in

Asia, with Europe so far only having limited exposure to the virus.

    The origin of the virus is still being investigated, but wild birds are

considered "a strong possibility," the Commission said.

    Earlier this week Hungarian authorities reported the bird flu outbreak in

Csongrad County in the southeast of the country.

    The virus was detected after an abnormally high mortality rate was

discovered in a flock of over 3,000 geese and tests carried out by Hungary's

national laboratory confirmed the virus to be the highly pathogenic H5 strain.

    Samples were then sent to the EU laboratory in Weybridge, near London, to

determine if it was H5N1.

    Hungarian authorities swiftly culled the infected flock and established a

three-kilometre (two-mile) protection zone and 10 kilometre surveillance zone to

be set up around the infected farm, as EU directives instruct.

    Neighbouring nations have also taken swift action following the outbreak.

    Slovakian authorities introduced a state of alert Thursday. Serbia and

Croatia have banned imports of poultry from Hungary. 

    Tod told reporters that EU nations were not allowed to introduce such

unilateral bans on a fellow member state.

    Experts fear that the H5N1 virus will mutate and become easily transmissible

from human to human, causing a pandemic like the Spanish flu in 1918 which

killed millions of people.

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: out break in Hungary probably H5N1 Posted: January 26 2007 at 5:41am
	http://orange.advfn.com/news_Outbreak-of-bird-flu-in-Hungary-is-probably-deadly-H5N1-EU_19132069.html Outbreak of bird flu in Hungary is probably deadly H5N1 - EU BRUSSELS (AFX) - An outbreak of bird flu in southeastern Hungary is probably the deadly H5N1 strain, the European Commission warned Friday. "All tests carried out by the Hungarian authorities so far indicate that the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus was responsible for the outbreak," the EU's executive arm said in a statement. European Commission spokesman for health issues Philip Tod said that samples had been sent to an EU lab outside London for confirmation that the virus was the H5N1 strain that has killed about 160 people worldwide since late 2003. He also assured a news conference that the Hungarian authorities were taking all the necessary action in culling the affected flock of geese and setting up safety zones around the farm in question. "There is no cause for concern and therefore no justification for other measures to be taken," he said. If the H5N1 case is confirmed it will be the first in the European Union since last August. The vast majority of the deaths from bird flu have been in Asia, with Europe so far only having limited exposure to the virus. The origin of the virus is still being investigated, but wild birds are considered "a strong possibility," the Commission said. Earlier this week Hungarian authorities reported the bird flu outbreak in Csongrad County in the southeast of the country. The virus was detected after an abnormally high mortality rate was discovered in a flock of over 3,000 geese and tests carried out by Hungary's national laboratory confirmed the virus to be the highly pathogenic H5 strain. Samples were then sent to the EU laboratory in Weybridge, near London, to determine if it was H5N1. Hungarian authorities swiftly culled the infected flock and established a three-kilometre (two-mile) protection zone and 10 kilometre surveillance zone to be set up around the infected farm, as EU directives instruct. Neighbouring nations have also taken swift action following the outbreak. Slovakian authorities introduced a state of alert Thursday. Serbia and Croatia have banned imports of poultry from Hungary. Tod told reporters that EU nations were not allowed to introduce such unilateral bans on a fellow member state. Experts fear that the H5N1 virus will mutate and become easily transmissible from human to human, causing a pandemic like the Spanish flu in 1918 which killed millions of people.