Bird flu case among gulls in Salah Al-Din reported

SALAH AL-DIN— The Salah Al-Din Provincial Council has called on health, police, and civil defense departments to take necessary measures to control the spread of bird flu after a gull in the Ain al-Faras area, west of the province, tested positive for avian influenza (H5N1).

The council has demanded a 28-day quarantine for the affected area to prevent further transmission of the virus and has also imposed a ban on hunting activities in the region. The council emphasized the need for coordinated action to mitigate the risk of an outbreak.

Weeks ago, a large number of gulls were reported dead on May 10 in Sulaymaniyah’s Dukan Lake and Raparin’s Little Zap River. It took nearly two weeks before an outbreak of avian influenza among gulls was finally confirmed.

Begard Talabani, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, announced in a press conference that examinations confirmed the presence of avian influenza, which has the potential to transmit to humans. Talabani noted that the gulls’ habitats are isolated on islands and there are no nearby poultry farms or close contact with villages.

“Necessary precautions have been taken to prevent the disease from spreading further. So far, no human cases have been reported,” Talabani said. “The situation is stabilizing, and the disease is moving towards being controlled.”