The Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Crimea has confirmed the infection of poultry with "bird flu" in Crimea. This was reported by the Minister of Agrarian Policy of Crimea, Oleh Rusetskyi, according to "Ukrainian News." \n \n"Bird flu is indeed present," he said. \n \nAccording to Rusetskyi, on Friday there were cases of poultry deaths, and a preliminary examination confirmed that the poultry were dying from "bird flu" infection. \n \nHe reported that on Saturday at 14:00 a closed meeting of the emergency commission on developing measures to combat bird flu will be held. \n \nAs reported, in October Deputy Prime Minister for Agro-Industrial Complex Yurii Melnyk announced that the Cabinet of Ministers had adopted all necessary measures to prevent the spread of bird flu. \n \n*** \n \n"Bird flu" has covered three Crimean districts \n \nInfection of birds with "bird flu" was detected in Radianskyi, Dzhankoiskyi and Nyzhnihirskyi districts of Crimea. This was reported to "proUA" by the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. \n \nAccording to the press service, in order to prevent the spread of the viral infection, quarantine was introduced in the specified districts. Sanitary-epidemiological disinfection measures are being carried out in the districts, and explanatory work with the local population is ongoing. \n \nObservation of domestic and wild birds has been established with the collection of materials for laboratory analysis. Trade in poultry and its free movement are also prohibited. \n \nA mobile operational group of the Ministry of Emergency Situations is working in Crimea, headed by the Director of the Department of Civil Protection of the Population and Territories of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Hryhorii Marchenko. \n \nThe State Emergency Anti-Epizootic Commission under the Cabinet of Ministers is also participating in the measures. \n \n*** \n \nYushchenko introduced a state of emergency in populated areas of the ARC \n \nPresident of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko signed a Decree on introducing a state of emergency in populated areas of the ARC. This was reported to "proUA" by the President's press service. \n \nThe Decree was signed following a meeting on taking urgent measures to prevent the spread of bird flu, cases of which have been registered in the ARC. The meeting was attended by Minister for Emergency Situations Viktor Baloha, Minister of Finance Viktor Pynzenyk, Minister of Health Yurii Poliachenko, Minister of Agriculture Oleksandr Baranivskyi, and Minister of Internal Affairs Yurii Lutsenko. \n \nThe President gave instructions to create a headquarters that will determine the emergency zone. The headquarters will be headed by Minister for Emergency Situations Viktor Baloha. It will include deputy ministers of internal affairs, health, agriculture, ecology, finance, and the Prime Minister of Crimea. According to the Head of State's instructions, members of the headquarters will fly to Crimea today to study the situation on site and take urgent measures to counter the spread of the disease. \n \nThe headquarters will also coordinate efforts to provide the population in the epizootic zone with necessary medical care and food. Yushchenko instructed the head of the headquarters to inform him daily about the implementation of the Decree. \n\nThe President also instructed the Minister of Internal Affairs to establish a three-kilometer quarantine border around the settlements where cases of virus infection have been detected. In addition, a ten-kilometer observation zone will be established around the affected populated areas. \n\nIn order to prevent the spread of the bird flu virus, poultry will be destroyed in the settlements where infection has been detected, and the consumption of poultry meat will be prohibited. The Head of State gave instructions to compensate the population in monetary form at the market value of the poultry for the losses incurred in this connection. \n\nRepresentatives of the Ukrainian government must take additional measures for explanatory work and strengthening preventive measures to combat the bird flu virus. \n\nThe President of Ukraine addresses the population of Crimea with words of support and assures that the authorities are "taking all necessary measures so that life in Crimean villages is normalized." The President also calls on the public and media representatives to show solidarity in the fight against the disease and to intensify explanatory work. \n\nDuring the meeting it was reported that outbreaks of bird flu had been detected on the border of Lake Syvash. According to experts, the main cause of the virus's spread was contacts between domestic poultry and migratory birds.