No H5N8 human infection … Ready if it hits

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 24, (KUNA): The Ministry of Health emphasized Monday that no human infection of the deadly H5N8 virus was detected in Kuwait. In a press statement commenting on a report by a European news agency, the MoH Assistant Undersecretary Dr Majeda Al-Qattan stated that no reports about receiving H5N8-infected people were received from hospitals and medical centers and institutions across the country. Al-Qattan assured that the highly contagious H5N8 is spreading among poultry, but the likelihood of human infection is low.

This virus does not represent a threat to public health in Kuwait, she stressed. She affirmed that the ministry, however, is ready to deal with any case, if there, as per the international standards. She concluded that the Health Ministry and the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources would continue coordination and contacts with relevant international institutions to exchange information in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) confirmed Monday the outbreak of the highly contagious H5N8 virus in a private poultry farm in Kuwait.

As per guidelines of the World Organization of Animal Health, the PAAAFR has taken all necessary preventive and precautionary measures and culled all the infected and uninfected birds in that farm, Director General of the PAAAFR Faisal Al-Hasawi told KUNA.

The farm, owned by a Kuwaiti national, was also cleaned by chemicals and put under surveillance by veterinarians, he added. He noted that the PAAAFR has also formed emergency teams to inspect poultry farms in the surrounding area and poultry companies to make sure they are free of any infection. He affi rmed that no human infection of H5N8 was detected in Kuwait. Al-Haswai stressed that the virus does not represent a threat to public health in Kuwait.

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