GENEVA / BIRD FLU EUROPE

The World Health Organization stated that three countries in Europe had been affected by an avian influenza strain through poultry. A WHO expert said “for the moment in Europe the real challenge will just be to make sure that the outbreaks are under control in those poultry populations that are affected now." WHO

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:14
• Production Date: 18 November 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: HEALTH; HEALTH SERVICES; DISEASE PREVENTION; DISEASE CONTROL; DISEASES; SANITATION; PUBLIC HEALTH
• MAMS Id: 1245622

Description

STORY: GENEVA / BIRD FLU EUROPE
TRT: 1.14
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 18 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

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1. Wide shot, exterior of the WHO headquarters
18 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Elizabeth Mumford, Scientist, Human - animal interface team, Food safety and zoonosis, WHO:
“Over the past week or so, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK have all reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza in poultry populations in their countries.”

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3. Close up, WHO flag
18 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Elizabeth Mumford, Human - animal interface team, Food safety and zoonosis, WHO:
“For the moment in Europe the real challenge will just be to make sure that the outbreaks are under control in those poultry populations that are affected now. Europe has a very good track record for controlling these outbreaks and not letting them get established and so over the next few weeks we expect that although additional countries may see cases in their poultry that these outbreaks will be quickly brought under control.”

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5. Med shot, WHO building

18 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Elizabeth Mumford, Human - animal interface team, Food safety and zoonosis, WHO:

“We don’t advise any additional precautions when preparing and consuming poultry products because this particular virus is inactivated by average cooking temperatures.”

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7. Wide shot, WHO headquarters

Storyline

The World Health Organization stated today that three countries in Europe had been affected by an avian influenza strain through poultry.

Germany and the Netherlands confirmed that the H5N8 affecting poultry in those countries was similar to an H5N8 sub-type that was circulating in Asia since January 2014.

There was also a report from the UK that there was a highly pathogenic H5 outbreak in poultry, but it had not yet been confirmed to be the same one.

In Asia, the affected countries were Japan, China and the Republic of Korea. No infections in humans with that virus in Europe or in the three Asian countries were reported so far.

All of the genes in this virus were avian genes, and there were no swine or human components to the genome.

It was recommended that people who culled the flocks self-monitor for fever for two weeks after the contact. Poultry meat, which had been well-cooked, was reported to be safe and posed no threat.