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Swiss hit by new bird flu cases
13/03/2006 13:34 - (SA)
Geneva - Switzerland officials on Monday confirmed two new cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu in wildfowl, bringing to three the total discovered in the Alpine country.
The Federal Veterinary Office said the virus, which also could be deadly to humans, was confirmed in two wildfowl found dead just more than a week ago: a duck in Steckborn, near the border with Germany in northern Switzerland, and a coot in Feuerthalen, near Zurich.
Earlier this month, tests on a goosander - a sort of wild duck - found in February in Geneva also revealed the presence of the H5N1 strain.
It was the first confirmed case in Switzerland, after outbreaks in neighbouring France and Germany.
Swiss authorities said that a further eight suspect cases from wildfowl found in Switzerland were still being tested in a European reference laboratory in Britain.
- AFP
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