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