Posted on 06/27/2007 2:27:43 PM PDT by blam
Potentially lethal H5N1 bird flu resurfaces in Europe
27 Jun, 2007 l 1751 hrs
PRAGUE: A bird flu scare in Central Europe was spreading on Wednesday as Czech authorities said the H5N1 virus potentially lethal to humans had been found in a flock of chickens after discoveries among wild birds in Germany.
The presence of H5N1 bird flu was confirmed on a poultry farm near the village of Norin, just four kilometers (2.5 miles) from a farm where some 6,000 turkeys were slaughtered last week after the deadly virus was detected there.
The farm in Tisova was the first incidence of H5N1 bird flu in Europe in four months. Then on Sunday Germany joined the latest outbreak confirming six cases in wild birds found dead near Nuremberg, followed by another report on Tuesday involving three wild swans in the east of the country.
Zbynek Semerad, a spokesman for the Czech veterinary services, said on Wednesday the H5N1 virus had been confirmed by a national laboratory. He said it was "the most serious animal infection" in the country since an episode of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.
Czech authorities suggested the bird flu had been detected for the first time in Czech domestic poultry which could be due to wild birds contaminating litter. The infection could have been transferred between the two poultry farms which belong to the same cooperative on the shoes of a worker or on a car tyre.
All previous 13 cases of bird flu in the Czech Republic since March 2006 had only affected wild swans.
"There is no reason to panic. The special veterinary measures have already been widen without delay, with the aim of preventing a new outbreak of the virus," Czech Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovic was quoted as saying by the website www.aktualne.cz.
"Strict controls are being followed in all the villages in the region," the veterinary services spokesman said, adding that the area under observation has been extended from 10 to 14 kilometres.
Some 28,00 chickens as well as all the poultry in the village of Norin will be destroyed, Czech officials said.
Germany has only recorded one incidence of the feared virus on a farm, in April 2006, after which more than 21,000 poultry were killed.
The last reported case in Germany of the highly pathogenic strain of bird flu was reported in Dresden in August last year. It killed a swan in the eastern city's zoo.
Worldwide the virus has killed 191 people out of 313 infected patients, according to the latest World Health Organisation toll dated June 15.
Experts fear the death toll would multiply rapidly if the virus were to mutate and become easily transmitted between humans.
Where’s that dang picture? You know the one.
RUN FOR YER LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!
We’re all going to DIE!!!! DIE!!!!!
THIS IS HUGH.
Maybe it will mutate into a camel flu and solve our problems in Iraq.
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