FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS SUGGEST NO BIRD FLU

UNCLAS NASSAU 000368 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR WBENT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO SENV ECON EAGR PREL BF SUBJECT: FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS SUGGEST NO BIRD FLU REF: NASSAU 363 ¶1. The Bahamian Ministries of Agriculture and Health sent a surveillance team to the southern island of Great Inagua on March 2 to investigate whether a group of wild birds found dead several days ago could have been the Western Hemisphere's first cases of avian influenza or bird flu. The team found only five birds whose cause of death was not immediately apparent, a lower number than was initially reported (reftel). The lower number of birds and the lack of subsequent bird deaths led the team to conclude that the evidence in Great Inagua is not consistent with an outbreak of bird flu. ¶2. An official from the Bahamian office of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) indicated that samples from the dead birds would be sent to London the night of March 3 for testing at the Weybridge Laboratory. He believed the results would be back the beginning of next week. HARDT