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Meanwhile, the Muslim World League welcomed the statement by the Joint Ministerial Contact Group meeting in Madrid, which emphasised the group's commitment to implementing the two-state solution
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Bird flu fear rearing head in UAE again
DUBAI - As news of bird flu cases have spread again the world over, fear of the flu is also rearing its ugly head in the UAE.
Recently, several unexplained deaths of migratory birds have made residents wonder whether the authorities in Dubai are fully alert about the emerging scenario.
Narrating a recent incident at their workplace, a health worker said: “Some migratory birds (hundreds in numbers) used to flock in an open space at our office compound. Recently, their numbers decreased substantially which made me wonder why. One day, we sighted three birds with ruffled feathers, as if they had been strangulated. They died instantaneously. We took universal precautions as we suspected that it could be a case of bird flu. We did not touch the birds with bare hands and sealed them in plastic bags. As panic struck, some workers started wearing protective equipment."
She also said she had contacted the Department of Health, but found out that the Dubai Municipality was actually handling such cases. She noted that the municipality had asked her to keep the birds sealed until they send staff to collect the dead birds.
“While waiting for the authorities to turn up, the birds had started to rot and produce a foul smell. Besides, our workplace had also become susceptible to new health hazards, including respiratory infections and gastro-intestinal diseases caused by flies. Finally, the birds had to be thrown in the garbage,” she explained.
“My main concern is that nobody turned up from the municipality,” she said, adding: “I am concerned that Dubai has become less concerned regarding this dreadful disease. Because I know for sure that the birds did not die from food poisoning or severe exhaustion. Such incidents should not be taken for granted because I believe prevention is better than cure."
Responding to such calls from panic-stricken residents, the municipality has allayed their fears by pointing out that there could be a number of reasons behind the death of birds in an urban setting.
According to sources at the civic body, the campaign to stop the entry of certain migratory birds into the country involves procedures that rely on tranquillising birds. Despite the fact that the civic authorities had carried out an awareness campaign in the local media to apprise members of the public about these things, people still tend to get alarmed, a source said.
He added that people usually don’t know which species of birds are migratory and which are local.
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