Close the gates because of bird flue?
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by bg_turk » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:26 pm
Lets hope the disease wont get worse, because if it does the TRNC will not be the only one to loose.
The TRNC has a very small tourist capacity any way, its loss will be incomparably small compared to what its neighbour might loose.
The TRNC has a very small tourist capacity any way, its loss will be incomparably small compared to what its neighbour might loose.
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by bg_turk » Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:18 pm
Piratis wrote:I not only hope the decease will not get worse I want actions from our government to make sure it will not spread.
You need not worry. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is taking the necessary measures.
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EU: no need for serious worry on bird flu
by Sotos » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:48 am
THE European Commission said that despite the arrival of bird flu in the occupied north, there is no reason for serious worries over bird flu transmission in Cyprus, according to Veterinary Services Director George Neophytou.
The assurance came shortly after the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in two test samples from the village of Makrasyka in the north Sunday. The same day, the EU sent two German veterinary experts to Cyprus to investigate the situation.
“What I know through information I received last night from the EU, which in turn was informed by the experts, is that the situation is not very worrying in the occupied areas regarding transmission of the bird flu,” Neophytou said yesterday.
Neophytou told the Cyprus Mail that he had visited the north yesterday but was not yet ready to make statements about the measures taken there.
The two German experts, who are returning to Brussels today, met yesterday with head veterinarians from the north over a three-hour meeting. State radio reported that they ate chicken over lunch.
The WHO’s head of communicable diseases and response Guenael Rodier will be in Cyprus today to meet with veterinary and health officials regarding avian influenza and will give a news conference this afternoon at Ledra Palace.
President Tassos Papadopoulos sought to downplay the incidents, saying yesterday that “no concern [over bird flu] is justified”.
“Two incidents took place, but for 20 days now there hasn’t been any other incident, either in the occupied areas, or in the free areas,” Papadopoulos said, adding that “this alone is enough to assure that there is no reason for panic.”
“If no other episode takes place, I think that the appearance of these two incidents should be forgotten.”
When asked how the government could protect itself against infected birds since airborne birds know no boundaries, the President only responded that “all necessary measures were being taken”.
Despite urgings to close the crossings by a vocal minority that include EDEK’s Marinos Sizopoulos and renegade MEP Marios Matsakis, Papadopoulos reiterated the government’s stance that the crossings will remain open.
The President was backed by Neophytou, who said the safety measures at the crossings were sufficiently strict. “Close the crossings for what reason? To prevent the movement of people? Why?”
AKEL MEP Adamos Adamou said it would be “hyperbolic” and would “serve nothing” to close the crossings, adding that the EU approved of the present measures.
The MEP claimed the issue was being used to further political agendas. “This is not a political issue, it’s an issue of public health where the entire population could be in danger. We need to be serious and responsible in these matters.”
A bi-communal house-to-house effort to inform residents on bird flu risks in Pyla, which falls within the 10km zone around Makrasyka, also took place yesterday.
“Veterinary officials from the south visited Turkish Cypriot homes in Pyla along with the Turkish Cypriot mukhtar and accompanied by one member of the UN to give advice and guidance,” UN Spokesman Brian Kelly told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.
The 10km radius zone, meanwhile, has not been quarantined as reported yesterday in the press, according to the Veterinary Services Director.
“They need a permit from us if they are to transport birds out of area so that we can inspect them, but there was never a quarantine,” Neophytou said. “That was mistaken reporting.”
Hunting and the collection of snails and mushrooms have been declared illegal within the 10km zone.
Yesterday morning two dead seagulls and a dead pigeon were found on the beach in Larnaca and were delivered to the Nicosia lab to determine their cause of death, while a dead chicken and dead wild duck were found in Mia Milia on the outskirts of Nicosia in the north.
On Monday, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat visited Makrasyka and told residents that the village is the “safest place in the world regarding bird flu” because of the safety measures implemented there.
The ‘health minister’ of the north, who accompanied Talat to Makrasyka, said that the requisite procedures to quarantine the village took place on Sunday, and that they have slaughtered all birds in the village and sterilised the roads and chicken pens.
The assurance came shortly after the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in two test samples from the village of Makrasyka in the north Sunday. The same day, the EU sent two German veterinary experts to Cyprus to investigate the situation.
“What I know through information I received last night from the EU, which in turn was informed by the experts, is that the situation is not very worrying in the occupied areas regarding transmission of the bird flu,” Neophytou said yesterday.
Neophytou told the Cyprus Mail that he had visited the north yesterday but was not yet ready to make statements about the measures taken there.
The two German experts, who are returning to Brussels today, met yesterday with head veterinarians from the north over a three-hour meeting. State radio reported that they ate chicken over lunch.
The WHO’s head of communicable diseases and response Guenael Rodier will be in Cyprus today to meet with veterinary and health officials regarding avian influenza and will give a news conference this afternoon at Ledra Palace.
President Tassos Papadopoulos sought to downplay the incidents, saying yesterday that “no concern [over bird flu] is justified”.
“Two incidents took place, but for 20 days now there hasn’t been any other incident, either in the occupied areas, or in the free areas,” Papadopoulos said, adding that “this alone is enough to assure that there is no reason for panic.”
“If no other episode takes place, I think that the appearance of these two incidents should be forgotten.”
When asked how the government could protect itself against infected birds since airborne birds know no boundaries, the President only responded that “all necessary measures were being taken”.
Despite urgings to close the crossings by a vocal minority that include EDEK’s Marinos Sizopoulos and renegade MEP Marios Matsakis, Papadopoulos reiterated the government’s stance that the crossings will remain open.
The President was backed by Neophytou, who said the safety measures at the crossings were sufficiently strict. “Close the crossings for what reason? To prevent the movement of people? Why?”
AKEL MEP Adamos Adamou said it would be “hyperbolic” and would “serve nothing” to close the crossings, adding that the EU approved of the present measures.
The MEP claimed the issue was being used to further political agendas. “This is not a political issue, it’s an issue of public health where the entire population could be in danger. We need to be serious and responsible in these matters.”
A bi-communal house-to-house effort to inform residents on bird flu risks in Pyla, which falls within the 10km zone around Makrasyka, also took place yesterday.
“Veterinary officials from the south visited Turkish Cypriot homes in Pyla along with the Turkish Cypriot mukhtar and accompanied by one member of the UN to give advice and guidance,” UN Spokesman Brian Kelly told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.
The 10km radius zone, meanwhile, has not been quarantined as reported yesterday in the press, according to the Veterinary Services Director.
“They need a permit from us if they are to transport birds out of area so that we can inspect them, but there was never a quarantine,” Neophytou said. “That was mistaken reporting.”
Hunting and the collection of snails and mushrooms have been declared illegal within the 10km zone.
Yesterday morning two dead seagulls and a dead pigeon were found on the beach in Larnaca and were delivered to the Nicosia lab to determine their cause of death, while a dead chicken and dead wild duck were found in Mia Milia on the outskirts of Nicosia in the north.
On Monday, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat visited Makrasyka and told residents that the village is the “safest place in the world regarding bird flu” because of the safety measures implemented there.
The ‘health minister’ of the north, who accompanied Talat to Makrasyka, said that the requisite procedures to quarantine the village took place on Sunday, and that they have slaughtered all birds in the village and sterilised the roads and chicken pens.
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