Emergency state in terms of bird flu declared in Moldovan capital

Chisinau, 22 December /MOLDPRES/ - Emergency state in terms of bird flu has been declared in the Chisinau municipality, after the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) detected hotbeds of bird flu, including on the territory of the city. The Commission for Emergency Situations of the Chisinau Municipality approved a decision to this effect today.    

The head of the Chisinau municipal department of ANSA, Igor Crudu, said that the hotbeds of H1N1 had been detected in the population of swans which live on beds of rivers and lakes from Moldova during winter. Presently, four hotbeds of highly pathogenic bird flu are confirmed, including one hotbed in the Chisinau city, Vatra town, Ghidighici Lake.   

Among the requirements imposed by the authorities on the period of the emergency state, there is the ban on the access of birds from people’s households to commons, lakes, rivers, etc., as well as the enhancing of the measures of combating the illicit street trade, with food products or living animals, which also can enhance the risk of infection with infectious diseases. At the same time, on the period of emergency state in terms of bird flu, exhibitions, fairs with the sale of living animals (birds, including decorative ones) are banned.   

At the same time, a commission will be set up for assessing the damages in case of detecting hotbeds of bird flu in domestic birds, both in the protection area and in the supervision areas. The restrictions are to be lift during 90 days after the date of identification of the last case of disease discovered.   

The bird flu is a highly contagious disease which can be transmitted from animals to man.