How can only two outbreaks have been detected?
BOTH THE Committees and Ministries of Health and Agriculture have expressed doubts over whether samples sent by the Turkish Cypriot side to be tested for the H5N1 bird flu virus were of the affected chickens or not.
The House Agriculture Committee yesterday met to discuss the arrival of bird flu in Europe, the dangers of a possible pandemic and the measures that need to be taken to protect poultry and public health.
Upon hearing the queries that have risen concerning the detected cases in the north, deputies and the Gaming Services expressed their doubts over whether the samples that had tested positive in the north were the ones that had been sent to Turkey and then Britain for further testing.
On January 23, preliminary tests on two suspected cases of bird flu from a cock and a hen in the village of Makrasyka (Incirli) in the north proved positive.
Makrasyka is only five kilometres north of the Green Line. A heightened security zone with a 10km radius has been established around the village.
President of the Agriculture Committee Christos Mavrokordatos of AKEL confirmed after the meeting that there was doubt surrounding the samples.
“We are not sure if there are real bird flu cases and if the samples are the ones that were sent by the occupied areas.”
Agriculture Minister Timis Efthymiou assured those present that the Ministry has taken all necessary measures, including a security zone with a three-kilometre radius, decontamination measures at the checkpoints, the banning of hunting in the area and the need for a special licence to transfer poultry to and from the north.
According to Efthymiou, the Veterinary Services have gone to the north twice but there was no cooperation. He also mentioned that the delay observed in alerting the republic on the suspicious cases has been reported to the EU Agriculture Ministers Council.
The Minister went on to inform the Committee that the Turkish Cypriot authorities, from January 12 until January 23 had assured the government that there were no cases of bird flu and said that just an hour before Turkish Cypriot leader Ferdi Sabit Soyer had announced that the cases had been confirmed, the Veterinary Services had been assured by the north that there were no cases of the flu.
He assured the public, however, that whether the cases were confirmed or not, Greek Cypriot authorities have taken all necessary measures so there is no reason for concern. There are no dangers in consuming chicken either, he said reminding the public that “it is completely illogical to stop eating chicken.”
He added that on February 13 another team of EU experts will arrive in Cyprus, while on Monday the situation will be discussed with the European Health Commissioner Marcos Kyprianou.
Head of the Veterinary Services Georgios Neophytou, talking of the doubts over the suspicious cases in the north, said that it is not possible for there to be just two cases of bird flu in an area where there are also other birds.
“Something is not right,” he noted. The possibility of the cases not being real is something that has to be scientifically investigated, he added.
A spokeswoman for the Health Ministry informed the Committee that public health workers and private doctors have been informed on the measures that need to be taken in case of a pandemic.
She also mentioned that a special leaflet has been issued in Greek and Turkish and is being distributed in airports, informing the public on the measures they need to take to protect themselves.
President of the Gaming Services Pantelis Hadjigeros said that under no circumstances should hunting be banned.
Vice president of the Pancyprian Bird Breeders’ Association Petros Mintikis said that the ones who have felt the full brunt of panic, are the bird breeders. He added that the image projected by the media on a daily basis has contributed to a 70 per cent reduction in chicken sales.
“Bird breeders are on the verge of destruction and even if the climate is reversed, the consequences won’t be reversed.”
All agriculture organisations stated they were on the breeders’ side and warned that if measures aren’t taken then a social problem will ensue.
Otherwise, the Committee was satisfied with the government’s measures to avoid a transfer of the virus to the south.
At the same time, a House Health Committee meeting heard of the precaution measures taken by the Health Ministry in order to prevent a pandemic in the government-controlled areas.
In statements following the meeting, Health Minister Andreas Gavrielides said that
“the delay in sending the two samples to Turkey and the delay in sending the samples form Turkey to our lab raises suspicions, but if someone thinks further then he will realise were these suspicions are coming from”, said the Minister.
Asked whether he believed the public was sufficiently informed on the full dimensions of the flu, Gavrielides was positive.
“I think even the last Cypriot knows about the virus and the health precaution measures that need to be taken. Any information given to the public is evaluated by the Ministry beforehand.”
Gavrielides said that his Ministry currently holds 580 anti-viral drugs and added that they were more than enough to cover any cases of the flu.
He then explained that if medication isn’t taken within 48 hours of appearance of the flu, then it is of no use. “This is why the Ministry is handling the matter with such caution”, he concluded.
Head of the House Health Committee Costas Constantinou of DISY also expressed his concern over the suspected sending of false samples.
“There is doubt over whether the samples are real. And seeing that there is doubt, we need to act through the EU and control the situation in order to avoid any unpleasant developments.”
The public must be alert, he continued, but shouldn’t reach excessive levels of worry.
“Everyone needs to take on their responsibilities to protect themselves against the virus. But we shouldn’t overreact.”
Meanwhile a 15-year old Indonesian teenager died on Wednesday from what authorities believe to be a result of the H5N1 virus, the country’s Health Ministry announced.
The boy’s test results were sent to a laboratory in Hong Kong, which has been accredited by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
If the reasons behind the boy’s death are confirmed as being bird flu related, then it will count for the fifteenth death from the flu in the country so far.
H5N1 has cost the lives of at least 80 people worldwide since 2003, the majority of the incidents being in Southeast Asia and China.
Turkish Cypriot press
ACCORDING to the Turkish Cypriot press, Dr Guenael Rodier, Special Advisor on Contagious Diseases for WHO said that bird flu knows no borders and remains a common problem which demands the complete cooperation between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kibris reported yesterday that EU experts had visited the occupied areas to assess the suspicious cases and expressed their satisfaction at the measures taken by the authorities.
Head of the EU Coordination Centre Ercan Ercin stated that the visit from the EU had been planned before the incidents had occurred in Makrasyka and added that another EU mission has been planned for February 13.
Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Ferdi Sabit Soyer announced that measures will continue to be taken against the flu and mentioned that up until now, 24,000 chickens and 60,000 eggs have been destroyed while the number of dead animals or animals suspected to be carrying the virus amount to 597.
Soyer assured that bird farmers will be compensated for the bi
rds they lost, but not those who kept birds as pets and didn’t follow the set instructions.
