A senior Kenyan health official has pledged the government's commitment to combating outbreak of the deadly avian flu, which is possible to affect the east African nation after it has been reported in parts of Asia and Europe.

Kenya's Director of Medical Services James Nyikal said currently efforts are underway both in the country and globally toward anticipation and "effective" response to the influenza pandemic which has affected parts of Asia and Europe.

Nyikal noted that although no case of avian flu had been reported in Kenya, the country faced the risk from migrating birds coming from areas with the disease outbreaks.

"East African countries which include Kenya are a risk of avian flu through the Rift Valley and the River Nile which act as birds' migration points," he said.

Currently, the health officer said, Kenya is working closely with the WHO in exploring measures to tackle possible avian flu outbreaks, besides its constant review of the country's bird flu epidemic preparedness and response plans.

The avian influenza which occurs mostly in birds was first isolated in birds in South Africa in 1961; although its viruses usually do not affect humans, several cases of human infection have been reported since 1997.

Since 1997, about 100 people have been affected with half of the number succumbing to the deadly bird virus.

Commenting on the ministry of health strategies toward preparedness to the bird flu, the Kenyan official said a country wide disease surveillance system is in place to enhance its early detection, besides alert and advisory sent to all health facilities.

Nyikal said, through the influenza surveillance network set up four years ago, the health ministry has been able to access rapid and accurate estimates on areas of flu circulation all over the country.

The Kenyan government through its medical research foundation KEMRI have expanded its laboratory diagnostic capacity with regard to the bird flu, besides the recent ban on poultry import from areas with outbreak of avian flu, all aimed at reducing possible exposure to Kenyans.

WHO country representative in Kenya Peter Eriki said a vaccine has not been developed to control the disease due to the nature of the influenza virus which undergoes constant mutation process.

The bird flu occurs in three types: A, B and C. The first one affects man, birds, horse and pigs and Types B and C only attack man.

Source: Xinhua