Cyprus to kill about 1,000 birds with avian influenza on Tuesday

Some 1,000 aquatic and other birds detected with avian influenza in two private collections of waterfowl in the Famagusta district will be slaughtered on Tuesday.

Citing insiders at the state veterinary services, the report also said there are some 800 birds with avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, in the first farm and another 200 in the second.

Bird flu is a viral, contagious disease which is usually carried from one country to another by migratory birds.

The veterinary services have decided to slaughter the so as to contain a serious spread of the disease with all the financial consequences entailed.

It seems that cases of the H5N1 strain of the bird flu are the ones detected in the Famagusta district last Thursday.

The owners of the two waterfall collections in Paralimni detected increased mortality in their birds. And this raised suspicion that the disease may be present.

Samples were taken by the veterinary services and all procedures and autopsies were carried out in the island’s virology laboratory.

The collections in question consist of various waterfowl such as ducks, swans, peacocks and guinea fowls.

It seems that the disease appeared simultaneously in both collections.

In-Cyprus