WARDEN MESSAGE

U.S. Embassy, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
May 28, 2006

The Embassy is issuing this Warden Message to alert the American community to a large number of bird deaths in the village of Sokoroni, located in the far west of Burkina Faso, near the Malian border.  As a precautionary measure the U.S. Peace Corps has re-located a volunteer residing in that village until there is a determination as to the cause of the birds' deaths.

As noted in the Consular Information Sheet for Burkina Faso, Avian influenza (H5N1) has been confirmed among birds in Burkina Faso. Travelers should avoid poultry farms and markets, and any contact with visibly sick or dead birds and any raw poultry.  You should also ensure that poultry products are thoroughly cooked prior to consumption.

For further information on avian influenza, consult the U.S. Department of State's avian influenza Fact Sheet at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/health/health_1181.html , and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web site at html://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm.