Avian influenza hits Manyas
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ekim 09, 2005 12:48
It has emerged that 1800 turkeys died overnight from avian influenza in Manyas, Balikesir. The farm where the infected turkeys were reported was immediately demolished and disinfected. Entry of new livestock to the district has been temporarily banned. Proxy of Balikesir’s Governor, Halil Yavuz Kaya has announced that it was avian influenza which caused the incident. A crisis management desk has been formed and authorities have decided that all poultry living within a 3km radius from the quarantined area should be gradually destroyed.
Selling poultry products in the region’s open-air markets has also been prohibited for the time being. Authorities have also introduced a ban on shooting birds.
Owner of the turkey farm, Mehmet Eksen said the damage could cost him up to 60,000 liras. “It all happened overnight,” said a distraught Eksen, “I didn’t know what to do. At first I thought they had been poisoned. I do not care about the animals now, though. What will happen to me? I can’t even go and see my kids.”
A controversial phenomenon in the Far East (infected poultry have been burnt alive in the last few years, causing reaction from animal rights activists), avian influenza is something Turkey is not well familiar with. The Ministry of Health has announced that there is absolutely no need for panic, adding that there have been no cases in Turkey in which the influenza was transferred to human beings.