Vaslui County on bird flu alert

Veterinary authorities of Vaslui County ordered that special measures be undertaken at the border with Moldova in order to prevent bird flu, Radio Romania announced on March 14, Info-Prim Neo reports. Romanian authorities decided to draw blood samples from fowls on the right bank of Prut River. Blood samples were drawn from 30 target-settlements. At the same time, a closer observation of fowls in farms as well as wild birds will be performed. These measures were taken after the H5N1 virus was found in Russia and because of officially unconfirmed information about signs of virus in Moldova. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Anatolie Gorodenco denied the rumours related to the appearance of H5N1 virus in several poultry factories in Moldova (Vadul lui Voda, Tarnova, Floreni), mentioning that all the companies work in strict isolation regime. The Minister says the Veterinary Medicine Department daily collects information about the epizooty situation throughout the country. The State Sanitary Service in concert with local public authorities are tracing sick or dead birds, both wild and domestic. About 10 thousand samples were tested so far, taken from the wild and domestic birds. The result was negative in all the cases. Head-specialist in medical virus research Constantin Spanu, deputy-director of the National Centre of Preventive Medicine told Info-Prim Neo that no cases of bird flu were found in Moldova until now. According to International Epizooties Office, the virus was registered in 54 countries of the world, the last outbreaks being registered in countries from Asia, Africa, in Hungary, Russia, and Great Britain. Moldova ceased imports of poultry meat and spring chickens from the countries where the virus was detected. Poultry factories were compelled to restrict access, and individual farmers were advised to breed fowls in isolation in order to avoid their contact with wild birds.