The recent renewed outbreak of bird flu outside Myanmar has affected the livestock market in the country although it claimed absence of the avian influenza so far, according to local press Wednesday.

Livestock traders are suffering loss due to the fall of chicken prices with less customers than usual, impacted by the external disease which carries H5N1 deadly virus, the Yangon Times said.

Consumers are generally worried about any possible assault of the influenza as it starts to enter into the cold season (November to January) when such disease is considered to be sensitive.

Despite remaining free from the cases, Myanmar is still keeping alert with the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries urging the public to remain vigilant against the influenza following the persistent presence of such virus and fresh outbreak in several countries including neighbors.

The authorities have also called for keeping awareness about the modes of infection of the avian influenza and intensifying precautionary and educational measures to prevent any occurrence in humans and birds.

Myanmar has developed a national pandemic plan since early this year for controlling the disease under guidelines prescribed by the World Health Organization, and isolation units have also been set up at hospitals in the country's border towns.

According to earlier reports, the Japan International Cooperation Agency has provided Myanmar early this year with equipment and test kids to improve its capacity for diagnosing bird flu.

Myanmar has also benefited from a fund of 400,000 US dollars extended to Southeast Asian nations by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to enhance efforts in this regard.

Since renewed outbreak of bird flu in some Southeast Asian countries was reported in September last year, Myanmar has stepped up precautionary measures against the disease which include alerting farmers to report any unusual increase in mortality rate among poultry.

There are 63 million chickens in Myanmar, of which 50 million are bred outdoor in rural areas.

Source: Xinhua