March 16, 2004

No Sign Of Bird Flu In Holland

The Dutch Agriculture Ministry culled a poultry flock at a Dutch farm on Saturday after routine tests indicated chickens had developed antibodies.

The presence of such antibodies may indicate that the birds had come in contact with the virus. However, further tests at three poultry farms have now confirmed that this has not occurred, putting to rest fears that the bird flu virus has spread to Holland.

The ministry is carrying out further tests at the three other farms in the same area.