WHO investigates dead birds in Zambia

Lusaka - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday appealed for calm in Zambia as laboratory tests on possible presence of the avian influenza were carried out on scores of wild birds that died in unknown circumstances in the Southern province.

Provincial health authorities, meanwhile issued an appeal to people who ate the dead birds to immediately report to health centers for medical examinations.

Southern Province chief health officer Gardener Siakantu said there was urgent need for such people to be examined and monitored even before the laboratory tests were concluded.

WHO country representative Stella Anyangwe said it would be premature to speculate that the birds died of the feared H5N1 flu virus.

'Birds die all the time, and mostly of viral infections, so there is need to wait for test results being conducted,' she said.

Ananygwe however, called on health and agriculture authorities for quick action if it was found that the birds died of the virus that can be transmitted to humans.

On Monday, district veterinary officials said they had found and collected over 40 dead wild birds near the port offices of the Zambia Revenue Authority in the tourist capital of Livingstone, some 470 kilometers south of Lusaka.

Tests were ordered on samples of the birds to determine the cause of death.

In the wake of an outbreak of the flu in West Africa, Zambian authorities in March this year, banned the import of all poultry products and the movement of live birds in a bid to cut the risk of a similar outbreak.

The movement of poultry and frozen poultry products within the country was also restricted to the permission of health and veterinary authorities.

This was Zambia first case of mass deaths of birds in unclear circumstances. Reports of the dead birds and suspicion of Avian Flu have triggered panic among poultry farmers and consumer watchdogs, and resort owners in the tourist province.

© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur