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Bird Flu Warning as Migration Begins
The annual bird migration from the cooling north to the warmer southern continents has begun.As migration begins, experts draw attention to the bird flu and stress the precautionary measures taken last year should be implemented more appropriately this year.
Nature Observers Association Executive Board Member Asaf Ertan said, ?All poultry in Turkey should be vaccinated to minimize any negative effects from the bird migration expected to cross Turkey.?
The deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu first appeared at a turkey farm in the Turkish town of Manyas, Balikesir, in October 2005.
After the area was quarantined, the Turkish Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry announced the bird flu epidemic had been completely eradicated.
However, several deaths resulting from the epidemic once again made the issue a priority in 2006.
The bird flu claimed its first life in Turkey on January 11, 2006.
Muhammed Ali Kocyigit, 14, sent to the city of Van to receive treatment after coming in contact an infected dead bird, became the first victim.
Following Kocyigit?s death, his sisters Fatma and Hulya also died from the same disease.
The virus spread across Turkey, southeastern Anatolia in particular, and millions of poultry were culled.
Turkey lies on five migratory routes where birds migrate through across the globe.
There are over 300 villages in Turkey where birds are likely to land during the migration.
The bird flu strain, H5N1, has a permanent and real potential risk of spreading to poultry bred along the migratory routes.
Experts stress the migration routes cannot be changed, and therefore, measures should be taken to prevent poultry from coming into contact with migrating birds.
22.08.2006
