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Upgraded plan to curb bird flu
01/12/2005 19:55 - (SA)
Brussels - EU lawmakers on Thursday backed measures taken by the bloc's executive commission to control bird flu, including an improved early warning system and a co-ordinated emergency plan in the event of a human flu pandemic.
The EU Parliament also called for the development of low-cost vaccines for poultry and antivirals and vaccines for people, and for restrictions on movement of people and imports from non-EU countries in case of a major outbreak there.
"If a crisis occurs outside the EU, the (assembly) believes the commission should be able to act within 24 hours by imposing measures such as quarantine, the disinfection of any airports receiving flights from certain regions and travel restrictions," the Parliament said.
On Tuesday, the commission announced an upgraded plan to combat a possible pandemic of human flu, following a two-day exercise simulating a pan-European flu crisis.
At least 68 people have died from the H5N1 bird flu virus since it emerged in Asia in 2003.
So far, most human cases of the disease have been traced to contact with infected birds. But experts fear a human flu pandemic if the H5N1 virus mutates into a form that passes easily between people.
The commission did not make many details public, but it said the flu plan includes co-ordination among the bloc's 25 member states, the World Health Organisation and the commission in case of an outbreak in humans, and the deployment of antivirals.
It also includes activation of a Europe-wide early warning system and measures to contain the spread of the disease.
Birds in Turkey, Romania, Russia and Croatia recently have tested positive for the deadly flu strain.
The threat has since receded and the EU has scaled back its ban on poultry imports where bird flu has been detected, although it has prolonged measures in Russia where the virus does not yet appear to be contained.
- AP
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