Romania - 4 Suspected

[Bruce]

Re: Romania - 4 Suspected

Romanian president criticises cabinet, intelligence agencies for bird flu response

25/05/2006
BUCHAREST, Romania -- President Traian Basescu on Wednesday (24 May) criticised the activities of the government and the intelligence services in fighting bird flu, describing them as "embarrassing". According to media reports, Basescu -- who is recovering from recent surgery -- insisted on leaving a hospital in Bucharest for several hours to attend Wednesday's cabinet session, telling the ministers that the way the latest avian influenza crisis is being handled seems "chaotic and random" to outsiders.
Neighbouring Bulgaria, meanwhile, called an emergency meeting Thursday of its National Crisis Headquarters. Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil said extra measures to prevent the re-emergence of the deadly H5N1 virus would be discussed. (Nine o'clock - 25/05/06; Rompres - 24/05/06)

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setime...06/05/25/nb-08

[Bruce]

Re: Romania - 4 Suspected

Authorities lift human quarantine for avian flu hit areas

Romanian authorities said yesterday that people living in avian flu hotbeds will not be placed under quarantine anymore claiming this is a new WHO recommendation.

published in issue 3687 page 3 at 2006-05-26

Health Ministry issued a document yesterday for all local authorities in the avian flu hit areas not to place humans under quarantine anymore. The decision comes after thousands of people were isolated for at least two days since the first avian influenza outbreak at the end of last year in Romania.

Rodica Costinea, General Director with the Health Ministry, said yesterday that the human quarantine is no longer necessary since the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a new recommendation on May 24 saying that it is enough placing disinfection filters at the entrance and exit in an area where cases of avian influenza in birds occurred.

?WHO does not recommend anymore placing a restriction on people?s moving in and outside the hotbeds?, Costinea said yesterday. However, the WHO website has no indication of a new recommendation like the one invoked by Romanian authorities.

http://www.nineoclock.ro/index.php?page=detalii&categorie=homenews&id=20060526-5176

[Bruce]

Re: Romania - 4 Suspected

And Finaly

26-05-2006/18:55
Sofia - There are no registered cases of higher mortality among domestic and wild fowl, the National Veterinary Medicine Service said. Cases of bird flu were reported in Romania at the beginning of May. The veterinary authorities are checking poultry farms, private hen coops and poultry markets, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said in a press release. The border veterinary services are carefully monitoring the situation along the border with Romania. The observation of water basins for dead birds is continuing. The disinfection equipment on the territory of the regional veterinary medicine services is in a good technical shape, the press release says.

http://www.bta.bg/site/en/indexe.shtml