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

UNCLAS BELGRADE 000343 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED AMGT TBIO ASEC CASC ETRD EAGR EAID KFLU RO WHO
SUBJECT: SERBIA ANNOUNCES FIRST CASE OF H5 AVIAN FLU 
 
 
SUMMARY 
--------------- 
¶1. The Serbian Ministry of Agriculture announced on March, 
2 that a case of Avian Influenza was found in a dead swan 
in a canal in the Backi Monostor area in Sombor (near the 
Hungarian border).  Following lab tests conducted by the 
Veterinary Scientific Institute in Novi Sad and the 
Veterinary Institute in Kraljevo, the Agriculture Ministry 
stated that the Avian Flu strain H5 was the cause of the 
swan's death. A sample was sent for further testing and 
confirmation by an accredited reference lab in Weybridge, 
England. The Serbian government has declared the area 
within 3 km of where the dead bird was found to be a 
contaminated area and the area within 10 km, as an 
endangered area of contamination.  The GOS has also begun 
to implement several measures to prevent the spread of bird 
flu in the region. End Summary. 
 
¶2. At a press conference on March 2, Serbian Chief 
Veterinary Officer Dejan Krnjaic confirmed that lab tests 
performed on a dead swan found on February 28 in Backi 
Monostor, in the municipality of Sombor in the Vojvodina 
region, show that it was a case of Avian Influenza, type 
H5. The Veterinary Directorate at the Ministry of 
Agriculture stated that a laboratory analysis conducted by 
the Veterinary Scientific Institute in Novi Sad and 
Veterinary Special Institute in Kraljevo indicated that the 
swan died of Avian Influenza (AI) type H5. A sample from 
the dead swan was sent to the world-renowned laboratory in 
Weybridge, UK, for further testing and confirmation of 
results. Even before the Weybridge results are obtained, 
the Serbian government has announced the implementation of 
several measures of eradication in the infected area to 
prevent the spread of AI. The Vojvodina region is the heart 
of Serbia's agriculture and home for the bulk of commercial 
poultry production in the country. 
 
¶3. Measures taken by the government included declaring the 
surrounding area within 3 km from where the dead bird was 
found in Backi Monostor a contaminated area, and the area 
within 10 km of the outbreak site as an endangered area of 
infection. The measures also include closing and 
barricading any access to the contaminated area and 
positioning warning signs of contaminating disease; 
implementation of bio-safety and disinfection measures at 
the entrances and exits to and from the area; prohibiting 
the movement of poultry, exotic birds, poultry products, 
raw materials and residues of poultry from and into the 
area; safe storing of carcasses of suspected dead birds or 
animals; and a ban on hunting of birds and wild boars in 
the area. The Ministry of Agriculture stated that it has 
engaged the security authorities to coordinate any 
assistance that may be needed to eradicate and prevent the 
spread of AI in Serbia. 
 
POLT