The United Arab Emirates have banned the import of poultry products and live birds from Togo and the Czech Republic. This comes in the wake of an outbreak of H5N1 virus in the two countries recently. The Czech Republic has reported about four cases of the virus outbreak in the past one month. On the other hand, Togo followed six other West African countries to have reported the epidemic. The measure by the UAE government is a bid to prevent the spread of the lethal virus to animals and human beings in the Gulf region.
Last year, more than 30 countries of Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East reported bird flu cases. According to a World Health Organization report, out of about 300 known cases, H5N1 has killed 200 people across the globe.
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) is a highly contagious disease among birds. It can be fatal to domesticated birds, especially poultry, and can also be lethal for people who come in contact with infected birds and/ or H5N1-contaminated surfaces.
