H5N1 Virus Confirmed in Greece, Bulgaria

BRUSSELS - Feb 13/06 - SNS -- European officials said testing has confirmed the recent case of avian influenza in wild swans in Bulgaria and Greece was caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.

The disease was detected in wild swans in the Bulgarian wetland region of Vidin, close to the Romanian border, last week. The Bulgarian authorities have also informed the Commission of other suspected cases in wetlands close to the Black sea.

The Commission is preparing a decision banning imports of live poultry and birds, wild feathered game meat and meat products, eggs and unprocessed feathers from the affected areas in Bulgaria, and this decision is expected to be endorsed by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) on 16 February.

Currently, no Bulgarian poultry or poultry products can be imported into the DU, as restrictive measures are already in place due to recent Newcastle disease outbreaks in Bulgaria. However, as the Newcastle Disease restrictions are expected to be reviewed and possibly eased in the near future, it is necessary to also adopt this regionalised import ban for the areas affected with avian influenza.

The results for Greece come from samples taken from 3 dead wild swans found in the prefectures of Thessaloniki and Pieria earlier this week. As the Commission already adopted a Decision on Friday, laying down strict safeguard measures to be applied in the affected areas of Thessaloniki and Pieria, no further EU measures need to be taken in relation to Greece at this time.