Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend S.Babayeva / The State Veterinary Service of the Agriculture Ministry of Azerbaijan announced the status of measures taken to prevent the spread of dangerous infectious animal diseases in the country.
The Press Secretary of the State Veterinary Service, Yolchu Khanveli, said on 17 September that the temporary ban on the import of the poultry products, animal products and fodder from Krasnodar, Stavropol and the North Caucasus region of Russia is still in force. The ban had been imposed due to 'bird flu'. Usually Azerbaijan imports poultry products from Russia, Turkey, USA, Brazil and Canada. According to information provided by the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, in January to June, 9803.5 tons of poultry meat totaling $4,772,700 was imported into the country.
"The ban is also in force with regards to Georgia where 'African plague' has been discovered amongst pigs," Khanveli said.
The border and veterinary checkpoints of Azerbaijan are working an intensified regime to prevent the penetration of the virus into the country. Disinfection-barriers have been established at the border with Russia and Georgia. All cars coming from these countries are disinfected.
Monitoring is being held in all regions of Azerbaijan, vaccination of livestock is being implemented to prevent the spread of brucellosis.
The first autumn monitoring will begin on 24 September to prevent the spread of 'bird flu' due to the flow of migration of birds and the existence of the virus in several regions of Russia. The monitoring is being implemented by a special commission comprising of specialists from the Veterinary Service, Ministry of Ecology, Ministry of Health and Society of Hunters of Azerbaijan. As a rule the monitoring covers Apsheron peninsula, districts of Devechi, Salyan, Agjebedi and Lankaran.
According to Khanveli, the situation regarding 'bird flu' is stable in Azerbaijan. This year eight monitoring were held and 8,210 samples of wild and domestic birds have been studied. However, signs of the virus have not been discovered. The ban on hunting, consumption and sale of wild birds in Azerbaijan is still in force.