Iraq declares avian flu alert in southern province

[ECH1969]

The alert is the latest measure taken by Iraqi health authorities to combat avian influenza H5N1 following last month's discovery of the country's first and only confirmed bird flu case in a human.

The minister said he has to “totally close” Maysan using Iraqi soldiers and police and carry out culling of poultry.

“The disease has apparently spread among local birds, not migratory birds,” said Mr. Mohammed. “I have seen five centres where infections have been detected by rapid laboratory testing. Now we have declared a state of health alert.”

Mr. Mohammed will formally announce the alert later Wednesday in Amarah, where a team of expert's from the UN health agency, the World Health Organization, is expected to travel.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060215.wiraqflu0215/BNStory/International/home

[cantstandbush]

1. There is no question in my mind that our venture into Iraq will do more

harm than good to the American people and the spread of this flu is one of the harmful outcomes.

Remember: Bush lied and people died.

[lakeguy]

2. tinfoil hat time....

is this how we "take out" Iran and their new oil market by march?

don't have the troops to do it so a few million in collateral damage is just fine!

[Massachusetts]

3. "Iraq is a special case and has its unique challenges .."

Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Iraq is a special case

"A failed reconstruction that is broke. An insurgency resisting all efforts of the US military to eradicate it and instead confining the invaders to safe zones that aren't safe. And now, bird flu. Poor Iraq.

Some Iraqi farmers are letting their birds loose rather than slaughter them and the lack of a proper shipping container has kept the tissue sample of a man suspected of dying of bird flu sitting in Baghdad despite reports it was being tested abroad.

Poor communications, scarce equipment and the dangers of the insurgency are all plaguing efforts to combat bird flu in Iraq.



Officials say containing the spread of bird flu in Iraq may be beyond the capabilities of health authorities in some parts of the country, particularly volatile Anbar province, center stage of the insurgency.

"Iraq is a special case and has its unique challenges that are especially difficult, obviously because it is a complex environment," World Health Organization spokesman Dick Thompson said from neighboring Jordan.

So far, Iraq's only confirmed human case is a 15-year-old girl who died Jan. 17 in the northern Kurdistan region, Iraq's most stable area with a functioning local administration"

http://effectmeasure.blogspot.com/