Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend S.Babayeva / Due to the active flow of migrant birds which could potentially carry the H5 virus, the number of inspections to detect bird flu in Azerbaijan may be increased from one to two, the State Veterinary Service at the Agriculture Ministry reported on 28 November.
"This issue is on the agenda and we will make a decision in the near future," the same source stated.
The State Veterinary Service said that the most dangerous period of the flow of the migrant birds begins in mid-December and continues until mid-January.
Currently laboratory examinations are continuing on samples of domestic and wild birds collected during the recent monitoring. The lab results will be announced on 30 November.
The Veterinary Service also stated that previous examinations during the monitoring, covering the territories of the Absheron Peninsula, Davachi, Salyan, Lankaran and Agjabadi, did not discover any signs of the virus.
The inspections are being held by a special commission that includes members of the Veterinary Service, Health Ministry, Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry and Hunting Community.
This year the State Service carried out ten monitoring exercises, none of which revealed the virus.
A prohibition of hunting and the use and sale of wild birds in Azerbaijan still remains in effect. All Azerbaijani border veterinary check points work with medium security, in order to prevent the spread of bird flu.