Balearic bird flu commission to meet today

By Humphrey Carter THE Balearic bird flu commission will be meeting this morning to discuss what, if any, action should be taken in response to Spain's first confirmed case of bird flu on the mainland and other possible cases being discovered yesterday. The Balearic minister for health and consumer affairs, Aina Castillo who will be chairing today's meeting, called for calm yesterday. “There have been no cases found in the Balearics and the situation is under control,” she said. However, last month the restrictions and controls in place around the region's wetlands and poultry farms were lifted and yesterday the co-ordinator of the Balearic environmental, group GOB, Manolo Suárez, admitted that it is surprising that, after a lull in bird flu cases across Europe, a case has been found in Spain. Apparently, the infected bird is a relatively rare migratory wild bird and not very common to the Balearics. According to Manolo Suárez there are only three or four pairs in the Albufera Natural Park in the north east of Majorca. However, two other dead birds were found near the confirmed case in the region of Alba yesterday. For the moment, Aina Castillo has ruled out taking any preventative action as the migratory season in Europe is over and urged the public to take note of any advice given by the authorities over the next few days. The Balearics has been carrying out regular and exhaustive tests and controls throughout the migratory season, which ended on June 24, and similar measures will be enforced again from October 1 onwards, but for the moment, the advice is to remain calm.