KUWAIT: A senior official at the health ministry affirmed yesterday that a new clinic for AIDS gives results with 99.9 percent accuracy. In a statement, Assistant Undersecretary Dr Majeda Al-Qattan said the clinic is finally ready to operate after a long period of experiments and coordination. "This clinic is located at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in the building of Islamic medicine, and operates 24 hours a day with a privacy policy that allows patients to receive their results discreetly," she said. "The clinic does not only provide examinations and checkup, it also provides consultations and awareness about the disease," she added.

Qattan earlier said the health ministry has reported no cases of human infection with the virus that led to the death of pet birds at the bird market in Rai in recent days, after a campaign to destroy the birds at the market was held on Tuesday. "As a precaution, the ministry is working closely with the interior ministry, the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources and the Municipality to get rid of the birds at the Al-Rai marketplace," she affirmed.

"Although there is no evidence linking the virus to humans, the ministry of health has alerted all hospitals and relevant departments to keep watch and brace for any emergency in the future," Qattan said. She asked everyone to keep away from birds or animals, particularly dead ones, and report to the health departments any cases of mass bird deaths, adding the ministry is in contact with relevant international organizations to follow up the situation. - KUNA