THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE STATED THAT AFTER THE GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS IN THE EASTERN REGION RECEIVED A REPORT BY A CITIZEN ON 22/2/1428 H. ON THE EXISTENCE OF A GROUP OF DEAD BIRDS IN HIS REST PLACE, A VETERINARY TEAM HEADED TO THE SITE AND FOUND THERE A NUMBER OF DEAD BIRDS. IN A STATEMENT TODAY, THE MINISTRY ADDED THAT THE "VETERINARY TEAM TOOK SAMPLES FROM THE DEAD BIRDS AND OTHER BIRDS AND SENT THEM TO THE VETERINARY DIAGNOSIS LABORATORY IN RIYADH WHERE AFTER TESTS, SOME SAMPLES SHOWED POSITIVE RESULTS INDICATING THE PRESENCE OF THE HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (BIRD FLU) VIRUS (H5N1). THE MINISTRY ADDED THAT BASED ON THIS, ALL NECESSARY MEASURES WERE TAKEN ACCORDING TO THIS DISEASE EMERGENCY PLAN: ALL BIRDS THERE WERE EXTERMINATED AND WERE DISPOSED OF ACCORDING TO SOUND TECHNICAL METHODS. THE SITE WAS STERILIZED. A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF THE ADJACENT AREA OF THE REST PLACE WERE CONDUCTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER CASES OF THE DISEASE. EPIDEMIC INVESTIGATION MEASURES TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THIS OUTBREAK OF THE DISEASE ARE UNDERWAY. THE MINISTRY STRESSED THE NEED FOR COOPERATION BY CITIZENS AND EXPATRIATES THROUGH REPORTING ANY CASES OF SUSPICION OR CASES OF DEAD BIRDS TO THE MINISTRY'S ROOM OF OPERATIONS ON TELEPHONE NUMBER 014030911 OR TO THE NEAREST BRANCH OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE. THE MINISTRY STRESSED THE NEED FOR ABIDING BY VETERINARY QUARANTINE REGULATIONS, THE ROYAL ORDER BANNING THE ENTRY OF ANY KIND OF LIVE BIRDS FROM ALL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD TO THE KINGDOM AND THE ROYAL DIRECTIVES NOT TO HUNT ANY KIND OF MIGRANT BIRDS BY ANY MEANS TO AVOID CONTACT WITH BIRDS THAT MIGHT BE CARRYING THE DISEASE. THE MINISTRY ALSO STRESSED THAT POULTRY PROJECTS IN THE KINGDOM ARE SAFE AND FREE FROM THIS DISEASE.
