March 22, 2006

 

UN worries Myanmar may not be able to handle bird flu

 

 

Myanmar may not be able to contain outbreaks of bird flu and needs international help to eradicate the disease before it spreads to neighbouring countries, a senior UN official said.

 

Authorities are battling five outbreaks of the H5N1 virus in the north-central part of the country, where the first outbreak occurred in poultry on Mar 13.

 

UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Bangkok said the disease may be spreading out of control at the moment.

 

The crucial factor is whether the government can still keep track of the disease and whether they can control the movement of birds and products, Laurence Gleeson from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Bangkok.

 

Although thousands of birds have been slaughtered and road checkpoints have been set up to stop the movement of fowl, the disease appears to have spread beyond the 2-mile culling zone imposed after initial outbreaks in 3 townships in the Mandalay area.

 

Mandalay, as a trading hub with traditional routes to India, China and Thailand, is an important venue that could turn the tide in the battle against bird flu.

 

The current situation in Myanmar poses a new danger to Thailand, since there is border trade between the two countries.

 

Myanmar health officials say there have been no human infections from the H5N1 virus so far but health experts worry the country, one of Asia's poorest and most isolated, may not be able to contain the disease if it spreads to humans.

 

The FAO rushed protection suits, testing kits and other gear to the outbreak zone, and local livestock department officials have been co-operative towards FAO teams.

 

International donors have been leery about giving to Myanmmar due to its repressive regime, international isolation and dismal human rights record.

 

However, the Asian Development Bank said last week Myanmar may apply for funds from its programme to help poor countries in their fight against bird flu.