Bird flu alarm in Europe
2005-10-24 11:11
Brussels - Europe scrambled on Thursday to prevent a feared pandemic as the Asian bird flu strain that can kill humans reached the continent's southeastern borders.
While warning against panic, the European Union's executive branch immediately urged EU governments to stockpile anti-viral drugs, and said "at risk" people should ensure they are vaccinated against regular flu.
The call to the EU's 25 nations came after tests confirmed that the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza - the version that has killed over 60 people in Asia - was confirmed in Turkey.
The European Commission also said it feared that the lethal strain had passed into Romania, which if confirmed would take it onto the European continent for the first time.
"We don't want to create a panic at this point.... it's a highly pathogenic aggressive virus, but we in the European Union have to deal with that," said EU health and consumer protection commissioner Markos Kyprianou.
The EU commission had already slapped on a ban on live bird imports on Turkey on Monday after it found bird flu there but before it had confirmed the particular strain.
It took a similar measure early on Thursday against Romania after the presence of bird flu was confirmed, although further tests were under way to determine if that was also the H5N1 strain.
But only hours later came the bombshell: "We have received now confirmation that the virus found in Turkey is avian flu H5N1 high pathogenic virus," said Kyprianou.
"We will work today .. with the assumption that this is also the case in Romania," the commissioner added.
Romania lies to the north of Turkey along the Black Sea coast.
Croatian health authorities on Thursday began to take samples from wild birds which will be tested for the possible presence of the deadly avian flu virus.
The presence of the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu in Europe does not mean there is an increased risk of a pandemic, Roberto Bertollini, director of the European centre for health and environment of the World Health Organisation, said.
"We are not in the presence of a human pandemic and the fact that the H5N1 virus has arrived at Europe's doors does not mean that we need a change in strategy," Bertollini said from his base in Rome, asking the media "not to become alarmists."
Scientists have warned that millions of people around the world could die if that virulent form of the virus crosses with human flu strains to become highly contagious among people.
In Ankara, Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag urged calm. "The well-prepared and timely intervention of the agriculture ministry has brought the bird flu case ... under control," he said.
The Greek government meanwhile announced plans to hold a conference of health ministers from Balkan and Black Sea countries next month to co-ordinate response measures to the avian flu threat.