Cyprus to start cull after bird flu scare
The Star, 25 Jan 2006

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus said it would start culling free roaming poultry on Tuesday following reports of two suspected avian influenza cases in northern Cyprus. 

Four people have died of the H5N1 virus in neighboring Turkey this month, fanning fears that avian influenza, which has killed at least 80 people worldwide, is gradually creeping on Europe since its re-emergence in Asia in late 2003. 

Authorities in the south of the Mediterranean island, which represents Cyprus in the European Union,   tightened   border   controls   at

checkpoints hours after officials in Turkish Cypriot north Cyprus said the deaths of two birds were suspect. 

But they said there was no question of shutting checkpoints between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides of the island, partitioned since 1974. The village where the suspect outbreak occurred lies close to the Greek Cypriot side. 

George Neophytou, head of the veterinary department, told Reuters: "Today we will start the culling of backyard hens which are not confined. We issued cautions last week." 

Witnesses at one checkpoint in the capital Nicosia, where thousands of people cross daily, saw health services spraying vehicles with disinfectant. 

Turkish Cypriot authorities on Monday said preliminary tests proved positive for a form of bird flu, but further tests were required to define if it was the deadly H5N1 virus.