August 16, 2006

The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest announces an additional contribution of equipment to continue the fight against avian influenza.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing 1,000 sets of personal protective equipment to the Romanian Sanitary –Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (Autoritatea Nationala Sanitar-Veterinara si pentru Siguranta Alimentelor) (ANSVSA) in seven Romanian counties. Personal protective equipment is special clothing and equipment used to protect the health of workers at their jobs. The equipment sets include surgical gowns, gloves, masks, and a respirator fit test kit.

Personal protective equipment acts as a barrier between infectious materials and the skin, mouth, nose, or eyes (mucous membranes). Proper use of such equipment helps prevent the spread of infection in three ways. It helps protect wearers from infection or contamination from blood, body fluids, or respiratory secretions. It reduces the chance that workers will infect or contaminate others. Finally, it reduces the chance of transmitting infections from one person to another.

The sets of protective equipment are being distributed to ANSVSA authorities in the counties of Tulcea, Constanta, Ialomita, Braila, Galati, Calarasi, and Giurgiu. These are counties where experts believe the virus which causes avian influenza, H5N1, may be identified in the future. This week, sets are being distributed in Braila and Tulcea.

“Our two governments will continue to work together to contain the virus, and to prepare for a possible pandemic that is being discussed by scientists and health professionals worldwide,” stated Mark Taplin, U.S Embassy Chargé d'Affairs.

Mr. Taplin said that avian influenza is a bird disease, not a human disease. “Thanks to the prompt and effective actions taken by the Government of Romania, there have not been any cases of human infection with the H5N1 virus in Romania,” he said.

To date, the U.S. Government has contributed $2,400,000 to help Romania fight avian flu.

For more information about avian influenza, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/.
For more information about USG assistance to prevent outbreaks of avian flu, contact:
Carmen Podani
USAID Project Management Specialist
Tel. 021 316 1222

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16 August 2006

ASISTENTA ACORDATA ROMANIEI DE CATRE GUVERNUL STATELOR UNITE PENTRU COMBATEREA GRIPEI AVIARE CONTINUA

Ambasada Statelor Unite la Bucuresti anunta suplimentarea contributiei de echipamente pentru combaterea gripei aviare. vAgentia Statelor Unite pentru Dezvoltare Internationala (USAID) ofera 1.000 de seturi de echipament personal de protectie Autoritatii Sanitar-Veterinare si pentru Siguranta Alimentelor (ANSVSA) din sapte judete din Romania. Echipamentul personal de protectie consta in imbracaminte si echipamente speciale pentru protejarea sanatatii muncitorilor la locul de munca. Seturile include halate si manusi chirurgicale, masti si o trusa de testare.

Echipamentul personal de protectie actioneaza ca o bariera intre materialele infectate si piele, gura, nas sau ochi (membranele mucoase). Utilizarea corespunzatoare a acestui echipament ajuta la prevenirea raspandirii infectiei in trei moduri: protejeaza utilizatorii de infectare sau contaminare prin sange, lichide ale corpului sau secretii respiratorii, reduce sansele de infestare sau contaminare a altor persoane si, nu in ultimul rand, reduce sansele de transmitere a infectiilor de la o persoana la alta.

Seturile de echipament de protectie sunt distribuite autoritatilor ANSVSA din judetele Tulcea, Constanta, Ialomita, Braila, Galati, Calarasi si Giurgiu. Acestea sunt judetele in care expertii cred ca virusul care duce la aparitia gripei aviare, H5N1, poate fi identificat in viitor. In aceasta saptamana, seturile sunt distribuite in Braila si Tulcea.

“Guvernele noastre vor continua sa colaboreze pentru a combate raspandirea virusului si pentru a ne pregati pentru o posibila epidemie despre care discuta oamenii de stiinta si specialistii din intreaga lume”, a declarat Mark Taplin, Insarcinat cu Afaceri. Taplin a adaugat ca gripa aviara este o boala a pasarilor, nu a oamenilor. “Datorita masurilor prompte si eficiente luate de Guvernul Romaniei, nu a existat niciun caz de transmitere la om a virsului H5N1 in Romania”, a declarat acesta.

Pana in prezent, contributia Guvernului Statelor Unite pentru combaterea gripei aviare in Romania se ridica la 2.400.000 USD.

Pentru informatii suplimentare despre gripa aviara, puteti consulta site-ul http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/.

Pentru informatii suplimentare despre asistenta Guvernului Statelor Unite pentru prevenirea aparitiei focarelor de gripa aviara, persoana de contact este
Carmen Podani,
Manager de proiect, USAID,
tel. 021 316 1222.

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