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Bird flu in Kuwait: reality and action

Bird flu in Kuwait: reality and action Report by Falah Al-Fadhli (with photos) KUWAIT, April 28 (KUNA) -- Transporting birds from one place to another poses an added challenge in the fight to control the outbreak of the bird flu virus.
The culling of some 1.7 million birds in Wafra, which was declared an infected zone, drove many farm owners to transport their birds to Kabd, an area where three turkeys later died of the virus.
Since the discovery of the killer virus in Kuwait about two months ago, the joint committee for countering the disease has worked round the clock to make sure all precautionary procedures are implemented.
For their part, MPs held a special parliamentary session to discuss measures that had to be taken, stressing the need to prevent the sale of birds in residential areas to protect civilians and avoid further spreading of the virus.
In a country like Kuwait, where raising of doves and pigeons is a common hobby, the dangers facing civilians are grave, and hobbyists wonder why their birds have to be culled just because their farms happen to be located in an infected zone.
They told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that had the committee issued a decision prohibiting the raising of birds in private farms upon the discovery of the virus, damages and subsequent compensations would not have amounted to this great volume.
Spokesman for the joint committee Dr. Ahmad Al-Shatti had said a decision could be issued prohibiting home farms, but resulting compensations could delay it. Similar steps were taken in Singapore and Hong Kong after the virus was discovered there.
Such a decision has become much needed in Kuwait now, as the protection of human life is much more important than owning pet birds.
The committee had so far declared 48 locations as infected, most of which are private bird farms. (end) fyf.aa.ema KUNA 281504 Apr 07NNNN