Bird flu becomes cause of growing concern in Switzerland
Avian flu has become a cause for concern in Switzerland, where more and more birds and mammals are affected by the H5N1 virus. Government experts speak of a “real pandemic”, fearing a mutation of the virus.
This content was published on
1 minute
www.swissinfo.ch/ds
New cases of bird flu were recently discovered in the canton of Zurich. The tests carried out in recent days on two wild birds have proved positive.
“This was to be expected,” cantonal veterinarian Regula Voger told German-language public broadcaster SRF. The expert attributed the outbreak to the return of migratory birds.
Protection measures extended
The federal government decided this week to extend measures to stop the spread of bird flu until March 15. Experts consider it particularly important that wild birds do not come into contact with domestic poultry.
The question now is whether the virus can be transmitted to humans if it mutates. Switzerland is monitoring the situation closely, according to the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper, even though the World Health Organisation considers the risk to humans low.
“It is essential to strengthen surveillance, particularly among farmers, in the event of any influenza infection that may seem suspicious,” insists Laurent Kaiser, an emerging diseases expert quoted by the newspaper.
Popular Stories
More
Science
Switzerland now has a Professor of Gender Medicine. She’s here to stay.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
Swiss air traffic control upgrade slows tempo for safety reasons
This content was published on
The upgrade of Switzerland’s air traffic control system will take longer than anticipated following a series of malfunctions.
Switzerland remains ‘world’s most innovative country’
This content was published on
Switzerland remains the world's most innovative country, still ahead of Sweden and the US on the WIPO Global Innovation Index.
This content was published on
After reports of this winter’s first bird flu cases, authorities have now imposed national measures to come into force next week.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.