BRUSSELS, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The European Union Monday admitted it was not fully prepared to face the human health risks of the lethal H5N1 bird flu, which may now have spread to Croatia.
The World Health Organization has recommended risk-zone countries to
stockpile enough anti-viral drugs to cover a quarter of the population. However, some member states are still far from reaching this figure.
"We're not happy with the current stock levels and feel that all member
states have to make efforts to comply with WHO recommendations," said European Commission spokesman Phillip Tod, urging member states to increase their stocks of the antiviral drug, Tamiflu.
The commission Monday said the contagious H5N1 strain, which has wiped out
millions of birds in Asia, could be responsible for the death of a flock of
birds that has been discovered in Croatia.
This would be the third European country to be hit by avian flu. Last week, Romania and Turkey confirmed the presence of the rapidly mutating virus in dead poultry, and both countries have begun culling thousands of birds near the infected areas to contain the virus.
Roche, the Swiss company behind Tamiflu, has warned its production
facilities cannot keep up with the ballooning demand that has appeared as
infected migratory birds are moving westwards.
