CARACAS, Feb. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Venezuela has strengthened a series of precautionary measures to prevent any possible outbreak of bird flu, according to the country's anti-epidemic authority.

    Francisco Larrea, head of Venezuela's anti-epidemic authority, told local media on Tuesday that the government had been accumulating stockpiles of the Tamiflu anti-viral drug.

    Venezuela has bought up all the drug from relevant laboratories, and the WHO also has emergency supplies of the drug, he said.

    "Our plan follows the guidelines set down by the World Health Organization (WHO)," said Larrea.

    Meanwhile, the health ministry has set up an agricultural bio-security working group to conduct census of poultry farms, with experts from the land ministry, the autonomous agricultural security group, the labor ministry and private companies.

    The group will track farm birds, wild birds and migratory birds,and identify high risk areas, for Venezuela's migratory species, Larrea added. And Pharmacists and hospital staff have been on the lookout for increases in flu cases or purchases of anti-flu drugs.

    Larrea noted that poultry imports in Venezuela also follow the guidelines set out by the WHO to guarantee that no food products pose any risk to consumers. Enditem