Pigeons and Avian Flu

[pigeonperson]

http://tinyurl.com/yvbcpk

Pigeon Racing Club Moves to Prevent Bird Flu Outbreak
Razan Baker, Arab News


JEDDAH, 26 March 2007 — Health experts in the Kingdom are calling on people to exercise precautions after cases of bird flu were reported in the Eastern Province.

Abdullah Al-Zamil, secretary-general of the Saudi Federation for Homing Pigeon Racing, said the federation has undertaken certain procedures to help prevent the disease from spreading and to ensure racing pigeons are not infected with the virus.

Al-Zamil added that races that were supposed to begin on Saturday in Dammam, Ahsa and Qateef have all been postponed. Pigeons have been caged and blood samples are being taken with the help of the Agriculture Ministry to ensure that they do not have bird flu. He also said that other pigeon owners have been prevented from transporting the birds out of the Eastern Province.

Dr. Ahmad Ashshi, from the Heraa General Hospital in Makkah, told Arab News that people should not ignore the warnings. He added that bird flu is mainly found during the spring and winter seasons. The virus can infect humans in close contact with birds. There is still no evidence that it can be passed from human to human.

The Agriculture Ministry said late Thursday that the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu had been discovered in peacocks, turkeys, ostriches and parrots at a house after a man phoned the ministry about deaths of birds.

The last reported cases of bird flu in Saudi Arabia involved 37 falcons in 2006.

The deadly virus was detected in neighboring Kuwait as well as in Egypt recently. Among the 26 cases so far confirmed in Egypt, 13 have been fatal. The latest case was a two-year-old boy from Aswan who developed symptoms of the virus on March 15.

Kuwait has confirmed 54 cases of bird flu since Feb. 25. The emirate has slapped a total ban on the import and export of birds, closed down bird markets and shut the only zoo, where one case of an infected falcon was detected.

“This virus affects animals and humans and causes influenza, coughing and flu,” said Dr. Ashshi. The virus also causes fever, shivering and loss of appetite. Symptoms include eye swelling, rheumatism and pneumonitis leading to breathing difficulties and even death.

The H5N1 strain has killed at least 90 people since early 2003, mostly in southeast Asia.

Dr. Ashshi said people should exercise care when dealing with birds. “In the least, a person who works in a farm or cooks should wear gloves and a mask. Chickens need to be cooked for 30 minutes at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius to ensure that viruses are dead,” he added.

Speaking about the manner by which the virus is transmitted, Ashshi said, “It lives in a bird’s blood, bowel, saliva and noses and is secreted in stool. When the stool is dry, the virus is transformed into dust and moves in the air.