AGRICULTURE Minister Timis Efthymiou said yesterday that Greek Cypriots should not be concerned over bird flu deaths in Turkey, and that all necessary measures were being taken.
The statement came hours after a meeting was held in the north between the relevant Turkish Cypriot authorities to discuss the deaths in eastern Turkey. A third child from the same family died yesterday in Turkey from the H5N1 virus. A fourth sibling may also have caught the virus. Reports said the children may have played with the severed head of an infected chicken.
The issue was yesterday discussed at a meeting on the Turkish Cypriot side involving the ministries of health, agriculture, and interior, who assured that all the necessary steps had been taken to protect the Turkish Cypriot population.
The ministers told reporters that the medicines that might be needed were available and that villagers and poultry farms would be advised on what to do to keep the virus at bay.
They said the Turkish Cypriot side had also put into effect the action plan for bird flu drawn up by the World Health Organisation and the EU.
However, they said they had no information on what measures were being taken in the south of the island and called the Greek Cypriot side to co-operate on the issue.
Asked yesterday if there was any co-operation, Efthymiou said there had been contact with veterinarians in the north to co-ordinate efforts against the bird flu.
He said there was no reason for Cypriots to be concerned about the deaths in Turkey.
“People should not panic,” he said.
How long until bird flu reaches Cyprus?
