BULGARIA SCRAMBLES TO RESPOND TO NEARBY THREAT OF

UNCLAS SOFIA 001767

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE, SCOTT BRANDON AND S/BFLU, C. LITTLE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO ECON PREL SOCI BG KSTH WHO
SUBJECT: BULGARIA SCRAMBLES TO RESPOND TO NEARBY THREAT OF
AVIAN FLU


1. (SBU) Bulgarian authorities are intensifying efforts to
respond to a possible outbreak of avian flu in Bulgaria
after several cases of bird flu were confirmed in
neighboring Romania and Turkey over the weekend. So far no
cases of avian flu have been discovered in Bulgaria.
Officials from the National Veterinary Service (NVS),
however, are testing three birds found dead in the northern
town of Pleven for the virus, but do not expect to have
conclusive results until next week. The media has made
avian flu a top story and is helping to fuel the public's
concern with attention-grapping headlines describing
infected birds as poised to bombard the country.


2. (U) In response to recent cases of avian flu in Romania
and Turkey, the Agricultural Ministry has banned the import
of poultry, eggs, and wild fowl from both countries.
Although poultry imports from Romania have been
traditionally small, Bulgaria has imported at least one
million live birds from Turkey for consumption since the
beginning of this year and three million eggs to raise live
birds. The Agriculture Ministry also has banned the hunting
of most wild fowl. In addition, Bulgaria is stepping up
efforts to monitor the passage of wild fowl along the Danube
River and the Black Sea. Vehicles traveling from Turkey and
Romania are being disinfected as they enter Bulgaria. NVS
has enhanced its public awareness program by printing
instructions for farmers on how to respond to avian flu and
encouraging the local population, particularly in the four
regions at risk along the Danube and Black Sea, to report
any suspicious symptoms or the death of birds. The EU's
Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner, who was on a
two day visit to Sofia, stated that Bulgaria's measures to
prevent the spread of avian flu are in line with EU
standards.


3. (U) Meanwhile, the Health Ministry is pressing the
government to quickly approve a Pandemic Action Plan, which
the Ministry approved on 7 October. The plan would earmark
3.7 million leva (2.3 million USD) for the purchase of
antiviral measures, vaccines, diagnostic lab equipment, and
efforts to enhance monitoring and information exchange about
flu incidences. Before the plan can be approved by the
Council of Ministers, however, it must be coordinated with a
number of other authorities, which may take until the end of
October. With little time to waste, Angal Kunchev, Chief of
MOH's Department for Infectious Disease Control, is urging
the government to launch the plan immediately.

BEYRLE