Denmark finds bird flu
15/03/2006 14:05  - (SA)  

Want to know more? Answerit can help.

Swiss hit by new bird flu cases H5N1 bird flu hits Myanmar Bird flu found in Cameroon Bird flu hits Ogun state Bird flu claims more victims Bird flu spreads to new species

Copenhagen - Denmark has found its first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus in a wild fowl, said officials on Wednesday.

The ministry for family and consumer affairs, which was in charge of food safety, said it would give further details at a news conference.

It said: "At the news conference the authorities will inform about the measures taken as a result of the bird flu."

It was still unclear if the case was the deadly H5N1 strain. So far H5N1 had never been found in Denmark.

Sweden reports first bird flu case

Denmark, a major poultry producer with an output worth $483.5m a year, had been on guard against bird flu since the disease was found on the German Baltic island of Ruegen, near Denmark's southern coast in mid-February.

Denmark had since examined more than 100 dead wild birds for avian flu. Neighbouring Sweden reported its first bird flu case on February 28.

Jan Pedersen, general manger of the Danish Poultry Meat Association, said: "We have been expecting this and are prepared.

"We have further tightened our rules to make sure that the virus is kept out of our poultry sheds."

The H5N1 virus usually kills poultry within 48 hours and could infect people who came into close contract with sick birds.

- Reuters

What is this? Yahoo Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Brought to you by OUTsurance Car Insurance
	News24 Headlines on your Facebook profile		News24 on mobile