Friday, January 23, 2009

Danger of emergence of bird flu during cool weather season

(KPL) The Department of Livestock and Fisheries has ordered the authorities of livestock services in Laos to step up their surveillance on of bird flu as it thrives in cold weather and it is prone to emerge during the present cool season.
According to a notice issued by the Department of Livestock and Fisheries on 21 January, whenever there is a high demand for poultry, such as during festive seasons there could be smuggling of poultry across borders and such an illicit activity increases the risk of the spread of bird flu.
This notice also stated that the Food and Agriculture Organisation of Laos found out that the veterinary authorities stationed in the Vietnam-China border detected bird flu virus early this month from poultry which originated in China and in the process of being smuggled to Vietnam.
Based on reports from the veterinarians the percentage of H5N1infection was 50 per cent out of a total of 16 parts of poultry.
The Department of Livestock and Fisheries stated in 2008 that in the past the H5N1 virus was found in poultry in Laos on eight occasions and these were brought about by the smuggling of poultry to Laos.

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