Bird Flu Center

The Iberian Peninsula country has stepped up its anti bird flu policies, in an attempt to prevent a future spread of the virus from neighbouring Spain, which recently detected the first cases of H5N1. The report of a wild bird being infected with the deadly virus in Spain has prompted Portuguese Agriculture Minister Jaime Silva to pay particular attention to prevention methods, although he says that the country has had contingency plans in place for this matter for a long time. However, he said, it is not yet time to raise the alarm. Around 6,000 poultry and birds in Portugal have been tested this year alone and no trace of the highly pathogenic bird flu virus has been detected. Earlier this month, the Portuguese national veterinarian association had decided to beef up measures against the virus strain, especially in poultry farms and markets along the country. The bird species detected with the virus in Spain is also to be found in Portugal, so experts do not rule out the possibility of crested grebes in Portugal carrying the virus as well.