Re: Canadian Troops Look for Dead Birds in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - As part of their first line of defence against the potential spread of bird flu, Canadian troops patrolling the mountainous creases and rugged trails of southern Afghanistan have been told to keep an eye out for dead birds.
Tests by the United Nations Food and Agriculture agency and the Afghan government this week confirmed the presence of H5N1, the deadliest strain of the disease, in the war-torn country.
"We asked the troops if they find a dead raven, crow, or blue jay-type bird to mark the location and phone it in to us so we can keep track of the various bird populations," said Sgt. Mark Kelly, who's in charge of preventive medicine measures for the Canadian battle group based in Kandahar.
If a dead bird is spotted, soldiers are under strict instructions not to handle it.
The samples that tested positive for H5 were taken from birds in Kabul, the capital, and the eastern city of Jalalabad. Additional samples from Kunduz province in the north tested negative, as did those taken from Kandahar province, where 2,200 Canadian troops are based.
There have been no reports of human cases of the virus, but the Afghan government and the UN said, as a precaution, birds in affected areas will be culled. In addition, markets selling poultry will be closed and disinfected.
The head of health protection for the Canadian Forces said the chances of troops contracting bird flu is extremely low.
"There is currently no significant risk that would make us change the health protection measures that are currently in place for the troops," said Col. Jean-Robert Bernier in a telephone interview from Ottawa.
The swabs that tested positive came from backyard poultry farms, places that the troops wouldn't ordinarily spend a lot of time in, he said.
In the event they do, they've been ordered to avoid contact with the fowl.
A three-person health prevention team led by Kelly is on-site at the huge coalition airbase in Kandahar, where most of Canada's troops are stationed.
The little group is kept exceptionally busy monitoring a variety of potential health issues, including food safety.
Bernier said military and contract kitchens are monitored and routinely inspected to ensure nothing gets into the food.
In addition, any locally purchased foodstuffs require approval from the health prevention team.
Beyond that, Bernier said, avoiding disease transmission comes down to some common-sense measures, such as frequent washing of hands.
"There is a high level of hygiene and sanitation applied to the environment," he said.
Two sinks with hot and water soap are placed outside of each mess - or dining hall - at the giant airstrip and everyone entering must wash up first.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu has forced the slaughter of tens of millions of chickens and ducks across Asia over the last three years. In the last few months it has spread to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
This particular strain of bird flu cannot be passed from human to human, but scientists and health officials are worried H5N1 could mutate into a virus that could be transmitted easily among people. For months they've been forecasting it could become a global pandemic.
While that has yet to happen, at least 98 people have died after coming in direct contact with infected chickens, according to figures by the World Health Organization.
