Bird flu found in Saudi Arabia
28/01/2006 22:40  - (SA)  

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Riyadh - Saudi authorities have culled 37 falcons following the discovery of five positve cases of the H5 virus of the avian flu on Saturday.

According to a spokesperson for the Saudi agricultal ministry, a ministry team inspecting falcons kept in a veterinary centre in Riyadh, which cares for birds usually used for hunting, discovered the cases.

The ministry said 37 falcons, including the five cases "were killed and burned".

He added laboratory tests were being conducted to establish if the cases also test oositive for the N virus - "the other component of the (bird flu) virus".

In November, Saudi Arabia banned all bird imports from neighbouring countries amid heightened regional concerns about bird flu.

The decision came a day after Kuwait announced the discovery of a bird carrying the deadly H5N1 strain.

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