January 10, 2006

Italy calls for bird flu meeting

Italy's health minister summoned experts to discuss the threat of bird flu Monday, amid fears that the virus could spread west from Turkey.

The Health Ministry said Francesco Storace was to consult with veterinary officials, virologists and other experts later Monday in a closed-door meeting.

In an interview with newspaper La Repubblica, Storace suggested new measures might be needed following the confirmation of deaths from H5N1 virus strain in Turkey.

"The situation is much more serious than that which we have behind us in the last months," Storace was quoted as saying.

He warned that any measures taken by Italy to stop bird flu could only be fully effective if they were also taken by neighbouring countries.

"Therefore the direct intervention of the EU, the common assumption of provisions, is important," Storace was quoted as saying.

In recent months Italy approved measures including EUR50 million in funds to buy anti-viral medication and the hiring of dozens of new veterinarians to monitor poultry.

Storace told La Repubblica that 4 million doses of anti-viral drugs ordered by Italy were now arriving.

The deaths by H5N1 in Turkey were the first outside of eastern Asia, where 74 people have died from the virus since 2003, representing more than half of those infected there.