January 23, 2006

Ukraine's Crimea reports bird flu in two villages

Ukraine's Agricultural Ministry confirmed another outbreak of bird flu in two villages on the Crimean peninsula Friday.

A quarantine was declared in the affected villages and emergency workers are killing birds in the courtyards where domestic fowls died, the ministry's press service said.

The deadly bird flu virus strain, H5N1, that killed humans in Asia and Turkey has been identified in 14 Crimean villages since late last year and was found at three poultry farms in January. No human bird flu cases have been recorded in Ukraine.

The Emergency Situations Ministry warned the disease could spread from the Crimean peninsula to other Ukrainian regions in springtime when birds migrate.