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Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/health...080429?sp=true
Many Egyptians keep birds despite bird flu: poll
Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:03pm BST
By Cynthia Johnston
CAIRO (Reuters) - Over a quarter of Egyptians who are aware of the dangers of the H5N1 bird flu virus continue to raise birds at home despite warnings that this could spread the deadly disease, a government poll showed on Tuesday.
With 50 confirmed cases of the H5N1 bird flu virus in humans since the disease first appeared in the most populous Arab country in early 2006, Egypt has been the worst-hit country outside of Asia. Of those infected in Egypt, 22 have died.
"Household flocks are the first source of transmission of the disease," a summary of the government survey said, adding that many Egyptians still raise birds.
The poll, which cast a rare glimpse into attitudes of Egyptians toward the disease, said that 48 percent of Egyptians who previously raised birds in their homes had stopped since bird flu emerged in Egypt two years ago.
But 28 percent said they still kept birds at home.
Additionally, three-quarters of respondents who ate poultry reported eating freshly slaughtered meat, which 75 percent said was widely available despite efforts to get Egyptians to switch to frozen meat the government says is safer.
"I don't trust the frozen poultry that is sold, and I continue to raise poultry because it is safe and sound," the survey quoted a 50-year-old man as saying in the southern province of Sohag.
A 51-year-old woman in the Nile Delta who took part in the poll said: "Everyone raises birds in their homes, and they did not stop keeping them at any time."
Almost all of those who caught bird flu in Egypt contracted the disease from contact with infected household birds.
POULTRY CONSUMPTION DROPS
But the poll also said that 40 percent of Egyptians had cut their poultry consumption and 16 percent had eliminated poultry entirely from their diets since the disease hit Egypt, the most populous Arab country.
Of those who cut their consumption, 89 percent cited fear of contracting the disease as a reason. But 41 percent of respondents said they had not changed their consumption.
About 5 million households in Egypt depend on poultry as a main source of food and income, and the government has said this makes it unlikely the disease can be eradicated despite a large-scale poultry vaccination program.
The survey said that 89 percent of respondents would report an infected bird if they knew of one, but 99 percent did not know what number to call to do so.
Additionally, respondents varied in what they would do with a sick or dead bird if they encountered one. Some 31 percent said they would bury it, 20 percent would burn it, 20 percent would throw it in the garbage bin and 19 percent do nothing.
"Whenever there is a search campaign in the area, families hide the birds, claiming they have no birds out of fear they would be taken or slaughtered without appropriate compensation," a 28-year-old woman told pollsters in the Nile Delta.
Bird flu deaths total more than 230 worldwide since 2003 and have been reported in several African and Asian countries.
The poll by the Egyptian cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre surveyed more than 1,100 people in February and has a margin of error of 2.6 percent.
(Writing by Cynthia Johnston, Editing by Peter Blackburn)
? Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved.
Many Egyptians keep birds despite bird flu: poll
Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:03pm BST
By Cynthia Johnston
CAIRO (Reuters) - Over a quarter of Egyptians who are aware of the dangers of the H5N1 bird flu virus continue to raise birds at home despite warnings that this could spread the deadly disease, a government poll showed on Tuesday.
With 50 confirmed cases of the H5N1 bird flu virus in humans since the disease first appeared in the most populous Arab country in early 2006, Egypt has been the worst-hit country outside of Asia. Of those infected in Egypt, 22 have died.
"Household flocks are the first source of transmission of the disease," a summary of the government survey said, adding that many Egyptians still raise birds.
The poll, which cast a rare glimpse into attitudes of Egyptians toward the disease, said that 48 percent of Egyptians who previously raised birds in their homes had stopped since bird flu emerged in Egypt two years ago.
But 28 percent said they still kept birds at home.
Additionally, three-quarters of respondents who ate poultry reported eating freshly slaughtered meat, which 75 percent said was widely available despite efforts to get Egyptians to switch to frozen meat the government says is safer.
"I don't trust the frozen poultry that is sold, and I continue to raise poultry because it is safe and sound," the survey quoted a 50-year-old man as saying in the southern province of Sohag.
A 51-year-old woman in the Nile Delta who took part in the poll said: "Everyone raises birds in their homes, and they did not stop keeping them at any time."
Almost all of those who caught bird flu in Egypt contracted the disease from contact with infected household birds.
POULTRY CONSUMPTION DROPS
But the poll also said that 40 percent of Egyptians had cut their poultry consumption and 16 percent had eliminated poultry entirely from their diets since the disease hit Egypt, the most populous Arab country.
Of those who cut their consumption, 89 percent cited fear of contracting the disease as a reason. But 41 percent of respondents said they had not changed their consumption.
About 5 million households in Egypt depend on poultry as a main source of food and income, and the government has said this makes it unlikely the disease can be eradicated despite a large-scale poultry vaccination program.
The survey said that 89 percent of respondents would report an infected bird if they knew of one, but 99 percent did not know what number to call to do so.
Additionally, respondents varied in what they would do with a sick or dead bird if they encountered one. Some 31 percent said they would bury it, 20 percent would burn it, 20 percent would throw it in the garbage bin and 19 percent do nothing.
"Whenever there is a search campaign in the area, families hide the birds, claiming they have no birds out of fear they would be taken or slaughtered without appropriate compensation," a 28-year-old woman told pollsters in the Nile Delta.
Bird flu deaths total more than 230 worldwide since 2003 and have been reported in several African and Asian countries.
The poll by the Egyptian cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre surveyed more than 1,100 people in February and has a margin of error of 2.6 percent.
(Writing by Cynthia Johnston, Editing by Peter Blackburn)
? Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved.
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