January 26, 2007

Hungary: No more bird flu found in suspected area

Hungary hasn't found any further cases of bird flu in a suspected 10-kilometre area around the location of an outbreak identified earlier this week in southern Hungary, state news agency MTI quoted an official as saying Thursday (Jan 25).

Examinations of poultry at the 18 breeding plants and all farms in the specific area in Csongrad county, that borders Romania and Serbia, have been completed, the secretary of the Csongrad county authority, Mihaly Kaszas, told the agency.

The veterinarians found no signs of bird flu, he added.

Hungary Wednesday identified the H5N1 strain of bird flu in domestic geese. The virus has been sent for further testing at a European Union reference laboratory.

Breeders and farmers are now required to follow strict preventive measures. Poultry, mainly chickens and geese, raised in the area must be fed indoors and may not mix with wild fowl, Kaszas said. The breeders and farmers will only receive state compensation for possible losses if they keep the animal health hygiene regulations.

Hunters will shoot some wild ducks in the affected region to take samples for testing for bird flu since wild ducks are suspected to have carried the virus to the area, Kaszas added.