Bird Flu hits poultry markets but officials hopeful

PARIS - France began vaccinating thousands of geese and ducks against avian flu yesterday and Niger became the second West African country to be hit by the virus, spreading among birds at unprecedented speed.

Domestic ducks from Niger tested positive for H5N1 bird flu. Neighbouring Nigeria has already been hit by bird flu in poultry and on Monday reported outbreaks in birds in an additional two states.

The Black Sea state of Georgia said it had found the H5N1 strain in wild swans as the virus, which is endemic in birds in parts of Asia, extends its sweep across the globe.

In the Balkans, Bosnia said tests had confirmed its first case of H5N1 in two swans. As many as 19 new countries have reported outbreaks in birds over the past month.

Ilaria Capua, a European expert on avian influenza with the World Animal Health Organisation, the OIE, said the spread of the virus to the wild bird population has meant the situation in Europe was now akin "to living under machine-gun fire."

"And the spring migration from Africa will make us even more exposed," she said.

"This is the first time in history that it (bird flu) has been widespread in wild birds," she added.

The virus has infected 173 people in Asia and the Middle East since late 2003, and killed 93, according to the World Health Organisation. It remains essentially an animal disease which humans contract only through close contact with infected birds.

However, there are fears the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily from person to person, sparking a pandemic in which millions could die.

French Trade Minister Christine Lagarde said 20 countries had imposed curbs on imports of French poultry after an outbreak of bird flu at a turkey farm in the east of the country.

Alex Thiermann, president of the standard-setting committee for the OIE, called such bans an overreaction.

"Countries have far exceeded what is science-based and they have further complicated the losses to the industry," Thiermann told the New-Fields' Bird Flu Summit, a meeting of avian influenza experts, in Alexandria, Virginia.

"Eating chicken is not what is going to kill you."

Thiermann said sensible precautions, such as quickly culling birds in affected areas, can work to control outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza.

"Culling or stamping out is the number one measure to be taken. The tools are available," Thiermann said.

Turkey has been held up as one example of how to control the virus in people.

Dr Huseyin Avni Sahin, chief physician at Van Yuzuncu Yil Research Hospital in Turkey, said no human cases have been reported there after initial clusters of 12 in December and January.

"There have been no cases after 13 January. It's stopped," Sahin told the US conference. "But that doesn't mean the outbreak is over."

In China, a 9-year-old girl and a woman farmer remain in critical condition with H5N1, the WHO said yesterday.

WHO also confirmed that an Indonesian woman who died last week was the 20th Indonesian to have been killed by the virus.

Experts fear H5N1 could spread rapidly in Africa where chickens live in millions of homes and health, veterinary and laboratory services are often poor.

An OIE spokeswoman said there were two outbreaks, one of which was close to Niger's border with Nigeria.

Niger said it was enlisting the help of teachers and Muslim preachers to tell its impoverished people how to fight bird flu.

"Every child who is taught how to protect themselves can in turn educate their parents," Public Health Minister Ary Ibrahim said on state television.

US companies, which have until recently ignored the threat, have become interested and medical equipment suppliers said they were beginning to see an increase in business.

"Sales have gone up by several million dollars," said Bob Risk, of New Jersey-based Aramsco, which supplies chemical and biological weapons protective kits.

They are stepping up production of kits that include gowns, a mask, booties, goggles and gloves, as well as a quick diagnostic test that can tell if someone has influenza in half an hour.

- REUTERS