April 14, 2006

Tests show first case of bird flu in Russia's Far East

Preliminary tests on the blood of five wild birds culled in the village of Starodevitsa near the Russian city of Vladivostok showed symptoms of bird flu, the regional administration announced Friday (Apr 14).

This is the first such case reported in Russia's Far East.

Samples of the birds' blood have been sent to a veterinary laboratory for further tests.

The regional government said spring migration of birds through the region would last another two to three weeks and the danger of the virus spreading throughout the region remained high.