Kenya Says Remains Free of Bird Flu
Date: 01-Dec-05
Country: KENYA
Kenya's government said tests done on seven birds that died in Kericho, about 130 miles (210 km) northwest of Nairobi, were negative for avian flu.
"Another 43 birds tested by the National Museums of Kenya were negative for highly pathogenic Avian influenza. That means there is no case of avian flu in the country," the Ministries of Health and Livestock and Fisheries Development said in a joint statement.
Officials say Kenya and other east African countries are at risk because birds that have already brought the deadly H5N1 strain to eastern Europe fly to the region and beyond to the escape the northern hemisphere winter.
The H5N1 virus has killed at least 68 people and caused the death and destruction of millions of birds in Asia since it reemerged in late 2003.
Chicken is a staple source of protein across rural Africa. Concerns about the spread of avian flu centre on watering spots that domestic poultry share with migrating water fowl.
Kenya banned poultry imports from affected nations in October and said it had made arrangements with the World Health Organisation for access to anti-viral drug Tamiflu in case of an avian flu outbreak.
James Nyikal, director of medical services, said a national task force preparing for response to avian flu had also recommended that the country gets 2,000 doses of the drug.
"The task force is going to source funds which can make those doses available before the WHO drugs arrive," Nyikal said without giving more details.
