March 2, 2006

Sweden's coast guard searches for more bird flu cases

Sweden was braced for more cases of bird flu Wednesday (Mar 1) as the coast guard was called in to search for dead birds in a coastal area where authorities found an aggressive strain of the virus in two wild ducks.

Authorities said Tuesday the ducks were infected with an H5 subtype of bird flu--possibly the H5N1 strain--and have sent samples to the European Union's laboratory in Weybridge, England, for confirmation.

The infected birds were found in the Baltic Sea, near the Simpevarp nuclear power plant in Oskarshamn, about 250 kilometres south of Stockholm.

A special protection zone with a 3-kilometre radius was established. Coast guard ships and state veterinarians searched the area for dead birds.

"We collected some 15 dead birds Tuesday night, which have been sent for testing at the National Veterinary Institute," operation leader Hakan Henriksson told Swedish radio. Test results are expected later this week.