Second bird flu case confirmed at Athalassa park in Nicosia
Veterinary services confirmed a second infected goose at Athalassa park, while four people who had contact with dead birds are being tested daily.
Nicosia, Cyprus. Veterinary services confirmed a second bird flu case at Athalassa park on Wednesday after a goose died. Four people who had direct contact with dead birds are undergoing daily PCR tests, which have so far been negative.
Checks continue at the park
The death followed a Monday announcement of bird flu in another goose. On Tuesday, veterinary services advised the public to avoid close contact with birds at the park after H5N1 avian influenza was detected in a goose at a lake there.
“We are consistently checking the area and there are daily checks being carried out since Monday,” veterinary services officer Dimitris Epaminondas told the Cyprus Mail.
Epaminondas said the disease has a high morbidity rate. Symptoms include respiratory problems and swollen heads, while some birds develop neurological symptoms, including so-called “drunk stepping”.
Contacts monitored
The four people being tested are the person who found the first bird and three forestry department officers who had direct contact with the animals. They are not in quarantine. Epaminondas described the testing as a prophylactic procedure.
Human bird flu infections are rare but can be dangerous and sometimes fatal. They typically occur after close, unprotected contact with infected birds, poultry or livestock, including touching sick or dead animals or drinking unpasteurised raw milk.
This news item was generated automatically by Cyprus Inform from publicly available materials. Report an error →