March 9, 2007

H5N1 bird flu strain confirmed in 6 more areas in Afghanistan

The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been confirmed in six additional areas in eastern Afghanistan and in the country's capital, the UN said Thursday (Mar 8).

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a statement that samples collected from home-raised poultry tested positive in an FAO-supported laboratory.

The FAO confirmed the presence of H5N1 on Wednesday in the Khogiani, Rodat and Bati Kot districts of Nangarhar province, Khas Kunar and Kuz Kunar in Kunar province and in the Shah Shahid area of Kabul.

The government has taken immediate action for disinfection, culling and quarantine in affected areas, the FAO statement said without providing further details.

The FAO had confirmed cases of H5N1 in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Feb 20, and in the Sawki district of Kunar on Feb 24.

Afghanistan reported its first outbreaks of H5N1 in March and April last year in the capital Kabul and the provinces of Kapisa, Logar and Nangarhar. There have been no reported infections of humans.