SERBIA ANNOUNCES FIRST CASE OF H5 AVIAN FLU

UNCLAS BELGRADE 000343

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED AMGT TBIO ASEC CASC ETRD EAGR EAID KFLU RO WHO
SUBJECT: SERBIA ANNOUNCES FIRST CASE OF H5 AVIAN FLU


SUMMARY
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1. The Serbian Ministry of Agriculture announced on March,
2 that a case of Avian Influenza was found in a dead swan
in a canal in the Backi Monostor area in Sombor (near the
Hungarian border). Following lab tests conducted by the
Veterinary Scientific Institute in Novi Sad and the
Veterinary Institute in Kraljevo, the Agriculture Ministry
stated that the Avian Flu strain H5 was the cause of the
swan's death. A sample was sent for further testing and
confirmation by an accredited reference lab in Weybridge,
England. The Serbian government has declared the area
within 3 km of where the dead bird was found to be a
contaminated area and the area within 10 km, as an
endangered area of contamination. The GOS has also begun
to implement several measures to prevent the spread of bird
flu in the region. End Summary.


2. At a press conference on March 2, Serbian Chief
Veterinary Officer Dejan Krnjaic confirmed that lab tests
performed on a dead swan found on February 28 in Backi
Monostor, in the municipality of Sombor in the Vojvodina
region, show that it was a case of Avian Influenza, type
H5. The Veterinary Directorate at the Ministry of
Agriculture stated that a laboratory analysis conducted by
the Veterinary Scientific Institute in Novi Sad and
Veterinary Special Institute in Kraljevo indicated that the
swan died of Avian Influenza (AI) type H5. A sample from
the dead swan was sent to the world-renowned laboratory in
Weybridge, UK, for further testing and confirmation of
results. Even before the Weybridge results are obtained,
the Serbian government has announced the implementation of
several measures of eradication in the infected area to
prevent the spread of AI. The Vojvodina region is the heart
of Serbia's agriculture and home for the bulk of commercial
poultry production in the country.


3. Measures taken by the government included declaring the
surrounding area within 3 km from where the dead bird was
found in Backi Monostor a contaminated area, and the area
within 10 km of the outbreak site as an endangered area of
infection. The measures also include closing and
barricading any access to the contaminated area and
positioning warning signs of contaminating disease;
implementation of bio-safety and disinfection measures at
the entrances and exits to and from the area; prohibiting
the movement of poultry, exotic birds, poultry products,
raw materials and residues of poultry from and into the
area; safe storing of carcasses of suspected dead birds or
animals; and a ban on hunting of birds and wild boars in
the area. The Ministry of Agriculture stated that it has
engaged the security authorities to coordinate any
assistance that may be needed to eradicate and prevent the
spread of AI in Serbia.

POLT