Bird flu in Spain

The Kingdom of Spain is located in Western Europe, being the largest of the three Iberian Peninsula states. It borders Portugal, Gibraltar, Morocco (through its cities in North Africa - Ceuta and Melilla), France and Andorra. It also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands located in the Atlantic Ocean. As a cross point between Africa and Europe, it is historically linked to many important civilization across time.

Mallorca preparing for the disease

Sunday, September 24th, 2006

Mallorca’s health authorities are putting the island on guard against a possible arrival of the bird flu virus on their soil during the following months. The onset of autumn will most likely mean that millions of birds will be migrating across the region, thus increasing the chance of the virus claiming victims on the island. Authorities are preparing by stocking up vaccines for an eventual outbreak of the disease and getting ready to issue guidelines in the case of an epidemic. The World Health Organization has just recently warned on the possibility that bird flu causes a pandemic soon, as it remains the world’s number on threat to public health. All countries have been asked to make the necessary preparations for such an outcome.

Posted in Spain

Bird flu confirmation in Spain

Wednesday, July 19th, 2006

The first Spanish case of bird flu was confirmed by a laboratory in the Iberic Peninsula, testing a sample taken from a wild bird. The Agriculture Ministry issued a press release saying The National Reference Laboratory had confirmed a case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus. A great crested grebe was found dead in the northern province of Alava, in a marsh area outside the city of Vitoria. Even last year, Spanish officials admitted that bird flu spreading to the country was only a matter of time, as several European countries were already confronted with the disease and Spain is on the route of northern-bound migratory birds from Africa.

 

Posted in Spain