Labour calls for unit to tackle bird flu threat

The Labour Party has called on the Government to establish a avian flu emergency unit to co-ordinate the State's response to any incidence of the virus in Ireland.

Labour agriculture spokeswoman Dr Mary Upton says the Government should set up a national bio-security unit to monitor the threat from bird flu and address public concern.

She said the spread of the virus from Asia through Turkey, to Greece and Italy underlines its ability to travel and the difficulty of containing it.

"The logical progress of the virus will surely see it hit these shores in the not too distant future," Dr Upton said.

"The Government should respond with a renewed and pro-active campaign to assure Irish people that the necessary steps are being taken to protect the country against avian flu," she added.

Dr Upton called for checks at airports and ports to be strengthened.

She also urged the Government to appoint "a single figurehead to co-ordinate this campaign to avoid the confusion of recent weeks whereby everyone from the Minister for Agriculture, the Minister for the Environment, and the Minister for Health were making statements about the level of threat and Ireland's readiness to respond".

Russia said yesterday it had found new cases of lethal H5N1 bird flu in wild fowl, and Greece said it was testing a man for the disease. Over the weekend, the European Commission said the strain was found in Italy, Bulgaria and Greece.

Scientists fear the disease, lethal to humans if they come into close contact with infected birds, will mutate to allow it to pass between people, potentially causing a pandemic that could kill millions.

Globally, the human death toll from the virus confirmed by the World Health Organization since 2003 stands at 91.

Additional reporting: Reuters