March 26, 2007

Deadly H5N1 bird flu detected for first time in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Friday (Mar 23) confirmed its first outbreak among birds of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, the state-run press agency reported.

The Saudi Ministry of Agriculture said the outbreak was discovered in turkeys, parrots, peacocks and ostriches kept on private land in the east of the country, the Saudi Press Agency said.

It said an undisclosed number of birds were ordered destroyed after tests confirmed the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus, which has killed 169 people worldwide so far.

The Ministry of Agriculture said Saudi Arabia had imposed a quarantine blocking the import of any live birds into the kingdom and banning the hunting of migrant birds, the press agency said.

It said the dead birds had been reported earlier this month by a land owner in an eastern province of the country. No further details were given, and no cases of human illness have been reported in Saudi Arabia.

The H5N1 virus was detected in neighbouring Egypt in February of 2006, where 26 people have been diagnosed with the deadly strain, half of whom died.

The H5N1 strain has killed or forced the slaughter of tens of millions of chickens and ducks across Asia since 2003, and had spread to Europe, Africa and the Middle East during the past year.

It is believed to be carried by wild birds as they migrate across continents.