Health ministers from Andean nations on Friday adopted here a joint action plan to prevent the bird flu epidemic from spreading to the Andean region, including the establishment of a regional mechanism of cooperation.

The plan was agreed on at the conclusion of a two-day meeting, which drew health ministers from Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela and a representative of Ecuador's foreign minister.

Under the plan, the six Andean countries will implement stricter health controls and increase information sharing to prevent bird flu outbreaks in the region.

The participants agreed on measures to set up a bird flu monitoring network and boost efforts to raise public awareness about the epidemic, as well as pressing on with existing surveillance systems on migratory birds and banning imports of poultry products from affected countries and regions.

So far, Latin America has been free of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. Bird flu cases reported in the continent have been confirmed as of the H9N2 type, a non-lethal strain.

Nevertheless, experts warn that wild migratory birds will arrive in northern Europe and the North Pole in the following months, before reaching Central and South America by way of the United States, posing a serious threat to Latin America.

Source: Xinhua