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 -------------- ¶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