WHO specialist: "Bird flu danger is decreasing in Azerbaijan"

"Few bird flu cases are observed now. This means, the danger of avian flu outbreak is decreasing in Azerbaijan," the World Health Organization specialist, officer of public affairs department of the WHO office in European region, Christiana Salvi, who is on a visit in Azerbaijan, told APA.

According to her, WHO experts in Azerbaijan will focus on Salyan and Terter regions, which face the risk of bird flu outbreak. The 7-member expert group of WHO visired Salyan on Tuesday.

Ms.Salvi also said that it is not yet known how people contracted the virus in Azerbaijan. "We cannot say anything exactly regarding this issue now. It is being analyzed," she said.
The WHO expert said that they found dead birds in Salyan. So, the people are supposed to have contracted the virus from infected birds. The reason why girls of tender age catch avian flu is that they come into contact with infected birds most of all.

Ms.Salvi added that one of the two Salyan residents, who were believed to contract the virus, has recovered and released from hospital. The other-15-year-old patient is in critical condition.

The WHO specialist urges people to follow hygienic regulations and recommends them not to come into contact with dead and live birds and eat birds after cooking well.