Iraq this week reported six outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza that occurred from mid-December until the beginning of February. This is the first appearance of the disease almost for 10 years, said the world organization for animal health (OIE) on Tuesday.

Almost 720 000 birds died as a result of outbreaks, which mainly occurred on farms, the OIE said, quoting information from the Ministry of agriculture of Iraq. Of this number 77 of 101 birds had died from the virus, the rest were sent to sanitary slaughter.

Outbreaks have been discovered in various parts of the country, in the city near the border with Turkey, in the North, around Baghdad and on two farms South of the province of Al Qadisiyah.

The report of the Ministry reported on measures taken to prevent spread of the disease, including quarantine, localized control, zone protection, the destruction of animal products and by-products and the control of reservoirs in wildlife.

The early appearance of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Iraq was recorded in January 2006, said the Ministry.

Iraq in December imposed a ban on all imports of fresh and frozen poultry from France after reports of outbreaks of avian influenza. The country has extended the ban in January on two dozen countries, including China and South Africa.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 first infected humans in 1997 during the outbreak in poultry in Hong Kong. Since the revival in 2003 and 2004, H5N1 has spread from Asia to Europe and Africa, causing millions of infections in poultry, several hundred cases of infection and many deaths of man.

Source: Thomson Reuters