[Shannon]

Turkey confirms bird flu

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey's agriculture minister confirmed the country's first cases of bird flu.

And officials ordered all winged animals and street dogs in the village where it was detected destroyed as a precaution against the disease spreading, the Anatolia news agency said.

Military police have also set up roadblocks at the entrance to the village near Balikesir in western Turkey and are checking all vehicles entering and exiting, Anatolia said on Saturday.

The birds belonged to a turkey farmer, CNN-Turk reported, saying that 2,000 birds died. Anatolia did not cite a number but said that any animals that did not die of the disease were destroyed.

The outbreak was confirmed by Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, who said that Turkish officials had been communicating with officials in the European Union and other international organizations about the outbreak, Anatolia reported. Eker did not specify how many birds died of the disease.

The outbreak was first brought to officials' attention on Wednesday, Anatolia said. On Thursday officials went to the village and destroyed all the birds on the turkey farm that were still alive and buried them, then disinfected the area, Anatolia said.

Read full Article at : http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu....ap/index.html

[**claire**]

FCO Update ....

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture reported an outbreak of Avian Influenza on a farm in Balikesir district, North West Turkey, in early October which has been confirmed as Avian Influenza by EU experts. The Ministry has taken measures to contain the outbreak including restricting movement in a 2 mile area around the farm and checking vehicles as they enter and leave the area. No human infections or deaths have been reported.

Travellers to Turkey are unlikely to be affected, but you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, wild or caged birds; and ensure poultry dishes are thoroughly cooked.

Since January 2004, there have been a number of human deaths in Asia confirmed as resulting from Bird Flu (also known as Avian Flu and Avian Influenza). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported on the possibility of a human flu pandemic following this outbreak.

[Shannon]

Bird Flu has been found in Greece

[**claire**]

Taken from Hurriyet ...

Officials in Greece have gone on the alert following the suspicious deaths of 10 turkeys on the small island of Inuses off of Chios Island, which lies directly across from the Turkish coastal city of Cesme. The bodies of the dead turkeys were sent to Athens, where health officials announced yesterday that one of them carried the H5 virus, though tests were as yet inconclusive as to whether or not the deadly H5N1 viral strain was present in the birds.

Greek Agricululture Minister Evangelos Basiakos said that as a precaution, the farmer and his family on Inuses were under the close watch of local health authorities. Basiakos also noted that while currently the precautions taken were limited to banning exit from and entrance into the farm where the turkeys died, any conclusive evidence of the deadly bird flu strain could lead to a quarantine over not only all of Inuses Island, but also the larger Chios Island. Fear of bird flu in Greece has already led many in in the country to flock to pharmacies and hospitals in search of vaccinations and medicines, and it is thought that this latest revelation of dead turkeys on Inuses Island will only increase the panic.

[karno]

hi friend
As you have already told that an officials ordered all winged animals and street dogs in the village where it was detected destroyed as a precaution against the disease spreading,it is true in villages and the birds is also a very important factor in bird flu viral infection spreading. for more information see here- URL deleted by admin got more information here

[Umit]

it is true that your post is a spam and we hate all about spam!

[xStakYx]

lol spam is evil ... haha
aww stupid bird flu !!

[Marlyn]

Has any more been said about Bird flue in turkey not seen much news recently would be nice to know but it wont stop me moving to kus only 50 days to go

[jeanke]

İnternational agencies need cheaper hotels in turkish riveira and they used this news.They knew bird flue would go greece spain vs. By this way(using speculations) they would have some decreasing in tourist numbers in march and april.This months are not so important for them (dead season).This year in europe(especially england) tourism is not so good.Global tour operators used Turkiye.They have reserved hotel rooms in february by hidden ways and in march they cancelled this rooms under the name of personal reservation cancels.Turkish hotel owners really frightened and they reduced prices anormally. Now holiday is cheaper in turkiye relative to last year.So MİSSİON ACCOMPLİSHED!

İ hope i could explain something

[glos]

Don't worry there is plenty of time for Brits to come on holiday as it has been confirmed here to! Don't forget you have the great beaches, bazaars and fantastic weather, perhaps even more will come if the price is lower!
hope so!!