Turkey confirms return of bird flu
Pastor Dale Morgan
Turkey confirms return of bird flu*
From correspondents in Ankara
February 09, 2007 03:46am
Article from: Reuters
TURKEY'S agriculture ministry confirmed an outbreak of bird flu in the
southeast of the country, just over a year after the deadly H5N1 strain
of the disease killed four children in the region.
The ministry said bird flu had been found in a village in the Batman
province. The ministry said it believed wild birds had spread the
disease, which had so far killed 170 chickens in Bogazkoy.
"Strict quarantine measures have been taken in an area of 10 km (miles)
around the village where the disease was identified," the ministry said,
adding that culling of birds has started.
Veterinary experts were making tests to determine whether the virus was
the deadly H5N1 strain.
CNN Turk quoted the local governor as saying there was no evidence of
the disease spreading to the human population.
Turkey culled more than 1.3 million birds last year in an effort to
contain the deadly H5N1 virus.
Scientists fear the H5N1 virus could mutate to a form easily transmitted
from human to human. Because people would lack immunity, it could then
sweep the world, killing millions.
Victims usually contract bird flu through direct exposure to diseased or
dead poultry.