Monday, November 10, 2008

National Bird Flu Prevention Task Force Says No Incident of the Epidemic Witnessed in Eritrea

Asmara, Nov 10, 2008
The National Bird Flu Prevention Task Force disclosed that no incident of the epidemic has so far been witnessed in Eritrea thanks to the encouraging activities it carried out to this end.

The Secretary of the Task Force and director of veterinary service in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Okba'ab Gebremichael, indicated that the task force which was set up in 2005 from the ministries of agriculture, health and fisheries has undertaken intensive monitoring activities along the coastline of the Red Sea territorial waters, airports, national borders and islands through deploying the necessary skilled manpower and laboratory equipments. He further stated that over 150 million Nakfa has already been disbursed towards preventing the spread of bird flu.

Stressing the need for exerting stepped-up efforts at the global level, especially on the part of 11 African countries in controlling the outbreak, Dr. Okba'ab pointed out that the Task Force would undertake extensive monitoring activities across the nation by the end of this year.

Noting that Eritrea used to import about 500,000 to 750,000 chickens annually prior to the incident of bird flu, he stated that it has now began importing chickens from countries free from the epidemic.
Reports by the WHO indicated that there is a possibility that the bird flu epidemic could infect 40 to 50 million people annually once it manages to spread from one person to another.

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