Slovenia to Stockpile Anti-viral Drugs
Health Minister Andrej Brucan announced that Slovenia is in the process of creating a stockpile of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu that would suffice for about a quarter of the population in the event that the current strain of the avian flu virus mutates into a form easily transmitted between people.
This step is in line with recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The drug is to be supplied in two consignments in 2006, Brucan told the press in Ljubljana on Friday, 14 October. Meanwhile, Slovenia followed Friday the European Commissions' lead in issuing an embargo on bird imports from Romania, after a case of bird flu in the SE European country. That case was confirmed as that of the deadly H5N1 strain. Slovenia has followed the European Commissions' lead in issuing an embargo on bird imports from Romania, after a confirmed case of bird flu in the SE European country. Slovenia is banning imports of live birds, poultry meat and other bird products from Romania.
The measure comes after the European Commission's Directorate of Health and Consumer Protection informed the Slovenian Veterinary Administration of the need to take measures to deal with the danger that the discovered case in Romania could be that of the deadly H5N1 strain.
According to the Veterinary Administration, the measure allows for the import of poultry products made from birds slaughtered before 1 August that have been suitably processed.
The Veterinary Administration has already notified all border veterinary posts of the ban. It has also asked the Customs Administration to help in enforcing the ban, especially with Romanian citizens entering Slovenia.
Meanwhile, the National Veterinary Institute revealed that tests on all suspected cases of bird flu in Slovenia have come up negative.
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