February 9, 2007

Turkey reports bird flu in poultry; tests to determine strain

Turkey's Agriculture Ministry on Thursday (Feb 8) said 170 birds died of bird flu virus in south-eastern Turkey over the past week and said tests were under way to determine whether it was the H5N1 bird flu strain.

Authorities had already begun culling the remaining birds in the village of Bogazkoy near the town of Gercus in south-eastern Batman province, a statement from the ministry said. Turkey was particularly hard hit last January when 12 people were infected, four of whom died.