This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007606 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/RUS, OES/STC, EB/TPP/ATP, EB/TPP/BTA 
HHS FOR WSTEIGER/PBUDASHEWITZ 
USAID FOR BLANCHET, TROSTLE AND CARROLL 
FAS FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL 
FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS 
VIENNA PASS APHIS 
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ 
GENEVA PASS HEALTH ATTACHE 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ETRD EAGR KPAO TBIO AMED TU CASC EAID SENV ECON
SUBJECT:  Second Avian Influenza Outbreak in Turkey 
 
Ref:  (A) Ankara 5119  (B) Ankara 6105  (C) Ankara 6138 
      (D) Ankara 6232  (E) Ankara 6291  (F) Ankara 6430 
     (G) Ankara 6514  (H) Ankara 6605  (G) Ankara 7034 
     (J) Ankara 7318 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  On December 27, the Government of 
Turkey announced a second outbreak of avian influenza 
(AI) in the country.  This one occurred in the East, near 
the Armenian border, in an area where there are only 
backyard farms and no commercial production operations. 
The government took all of the necessary quarantine 
measures.  Turkish officials confirmed that the virus was 
H5 type, but are waiting for test results to determine 
the exact subtype.  End summary. 
 
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Outbreak in Rural Area in the East 
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¶2.  (U) On December 27, 2005, the Ministry of Agriculture 
released an official statement announcing a second AI 
outbreak in the country. The outbreak occurred in the 
town of Aralik in the province of Igdir, near the 
Armenian border.  This area is not near any commercial 
poultry operations.  Villagers use the poultry (turkeys 
and laying hens) for their own consumption. 
 
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Government Action 
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¶3. (U) The Igdir provincial authorities notified the GOT 
on December 15, 2005, of some suspicious bird deaths in 
the region.  The GOT went to the area, discovered 1200 
dead poultry there, and immediately sent samples to the 
laboratory to test for the cause of death.  In addition, 
as a temporary precautionary measure, the government 
simultaneously established quarantine protection in the 
ten kilometer radius around the center of Aralik.  In 
order to prevent the spread of the disease, the GOT also 
killed 359 various poultry, including turkeys, and 
promised compensation to the farmers. 
 
¶4. (U) On December 26, the GOT obtained the lab results, 
which showed that the birds died from the H5 strain of 
AI. At this point, the GOT took the appropriate action 
and made the quarantine a permanent measure, even though 
the outbreak did not take place near any commercial 
operations. The GOT continues to monitor this area. 
There have been no new deaths since the December 15 
incident.  The GOT also reported this new outbreak to the 
OIE and to neighboring countries. 
 
¶5. (U) In the press release, the government confirmed the 
presence of the H5 strain in the affected poultry.  On 
December 28, samples were sent to the laboratory in 
Britain to determine whether it is the H5N1 subtype of 
AI.  The government expects to receive the results by 
early next week. 
 
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Industry Comments 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) During their annual board meeting on December 27, 
the Turkish Poultry Association (BESD-BIR) learned of the 
second AI outbreak.  As a result, they contacted 
Protection and Control and Bornova Veterinary Research 
Institute (the lab in Izmir that tests for AI) to verify 
the news.  After confirmation of the lab results, they 
spoke with the Deputy Undersecretary for Protection and 
Control and urged him not to make a press release on this 
topic until after the New Year in order to avoid a 
potential drop in turkey consumption during this high 
season. 
 
¶7. (U) The GOT, BESD-BIR and other industry contacts 
stressed that people should not be concerned about this 
incident since it has been contained and occurred in a 
rural region of the country very far from any commercial 
operations. 
 
WILSON