Special report: Global fight against bird flu

    YANGON, March 21 (Xinhua) -- New bird flu cases of H5N1 have been found in some dead chicken layers in a suburban township of Yangon, according to a statement of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) released Wednesday.

    Some 1,645 layers in a chicken farm in Hmawby township's Nyaunghnapin Agriculture and Livestock Zone-1 were found dead due to H5N1 last weekend, the statement said, adding that the remaining 20,692 layers were culled in a risk prevention program.

    The chickens, ducks and quails in suspected farms, which are one kilometer around the affected area, are being watched and culled and sale and transport of fowls and fowl products in the farms, which are within six kilometers radius of the restricted zone, are prohibited, it said.

    The LBVD attributed the new cases to unrestricted visit of people and movement of livestock in the previous already affected farms in four townships.

    The authorities confirmed that four townships in Yangon have sofar been hit by H5N1 virus, namely, Mayangon, Hlaingtharya, North Okkalapa and Hmawby with Mingalardon township under suspicion of the virus since the first outbreak of the avian influenza in the city near the end of February. In the outbreak, 1,863 fowls died of the virus with 37,883 culled.

    The LBVD warned of more bird flu outbreaks in other regions, urging farmers to engage in fowl breeding and sale to heighten their awareness.

    Suspicious avian influenza was first detected on February 27 ina small private poultry farm in northwestern Yangon's suburban township of Mayangon.

    On March 12 and 13, new bird flu cases of H5 were detected on 66 dead pheasants and 60 dead quails in two farms of North Okkalapa and Mingaladon townships.

    Meanwhile, two townships of Mayangon and the Hlaingtharya have also confirmed the bird flu outbreak by experts of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UNAID.

    The FAO agreed on March 10 to provide immediate technical assistance to strengthen emergency preparedness for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The assistance also includes equipment worth of 600,000 U.S. dollars donated by the USAID to be used in preventive measures against the disease.

    According to the Myanmar authorities, no human cases have so far been detected with bird flu virus in Yangon despite close monitoring on 300 people who were in touch with birds carrying H5N1, but a special hospital has been arranged for treatment of those suspected of contact with the virus.