AVIAN INFLUENZA: Northern League, NEW CASES IN VENETO: The EU NOT LOWER GUARD

 Brussels, 08 Oct - With a question to the European Commission, the MEP of the Lega Nord Mara Bizzotto Brussels brought to the attention of the two cases of avian influenza recently in Veneto, respectively, at a farm in Treviso ( Maserada sul Piave) and in one of Verona (Sona). The strain of the H5N2 virus would be a subspecies less aggressive H5N1, causing the pandemic a few years ago. "Faced with a virus that now recurs cyclically over the years, we must never let our guard down," said the Hon. Bizzotto that, in your question, invited the EU executive to "take all actions possible to monitor the effects and possible developments of the virus" and to "provide for the appropriations budget in support of the poultry sector and the farmers who, after the appearance of virus, have been or will break down their animals as a precaution. " According to Istat, poultry farms in Italy are around 24 thousand and are mainly concentrated in Veneto (2976), England (2,393) and Calabria (2,257). Veneto is also the region with the highest number of animals bred (58.1 million), followed by Maharashtra (34.9 million) and Lombardy (27.2 million). "Today, fortunately, it is only a few isolated outbreaks that are of moderate concern, and that the health authorities are watching with care and attention -  http://www.agenparl.it/articoli/news/politica/20121008-aviaria-lega-nord-nuovi-casi-in-veneto-l-ue-non-abbassi-la-guardia