January 23, 2006

US bird flu experts arrive in Turkey

A team of US government flu experts were holding talks Sunday with Turkish officials in the eastern Turkish city bordering Iran where four children died after becoming infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

A total of 21 people have tested positive for H5N1 in Turkey and the team--including a senior infectious diseases adviser at the US Agency for International Development and other experts on animal and human health--are touring affected areas to assess what help the US can provide.

The delegation, headed by Ann Derse, a senior official from the US State Department, was scheduled to fly to Baku, Azerbaijan later Sunday. Part of Azerbaijan shares a short border with eastern Turkey and Azeri authorities have tightened sanitary controls on the border with Turkey to prevent the spread of bird flu.

The team will also visit Georgia and Armenia, also bordering Turkey, before returning to the Turkish capital, Ankara, Wednesday.

Sunday morning, the team met with local authorities and was also scheduled to visit infected patients at a local hospital. The delegation arrived in Van late Saturday.

Turkey has reported possible H5N1 outbreaks in poultry in 26 provinces, including areas just kilometers away from the borders with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Georgia.

Turkey has imposed quarantines, culled 1.1 million fowls and launched campaigns warning people to avoid contact with sick birds to bring the outbreak under control. Officials hope to limit bird contact with humans in this largely rural country, where most villagers raise their own chickens, turkeys and geese.

Turkish authorities have also announced a series of measures to help the country's poultry industry, which had been badly affected by bird flu.