May 22, 2006

 

Denmark confirms first case of H5N1 in domesticated birds

 

 

Danish authorities Friday confirmed the country's first case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus among domesticated birds.

 

The outbreak was in a backyard poultry flock on the island of Funen. Denmark previously had confirmed 47 cases of H5N1 in wild birds.

 

Poul Joergensen of the Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research said the tests on two guinea fowl and a peacock Friday confirmed suspicions they were infected with H5N1.

 

The owners had contacted authorities after 47 birds in the flock died earlier this week.

 

On Thursday, veterinary authorities set up a special protection zone with a three kilometre radius around the village of Hundslev, near Kerteminde. They also culled the other 53 birds in the flock, which included ducks and geese.

 

Minister for Family and Consumer Affairs Lars Barfoed said the owners had violated Danish rules by not keeping the birds indoors, and could face fines.

 

Kerteminde is 145 kilometres west of the capital, Copenhagen.

 

Meanwhile, the export of Danish poultry to some of its major non-European Union client countries will cease due to the outbreak, a Danish Poultry Council official said.

South Korea, Russia, Singapore, Japan and Ukraine all require certificates signed by veterinarians that verify Denmark has been bird-flu free, and as a result exports to those countries will stop, said Henrik Bunkenborg, a consultant with the council.

 

Denmark's poultry farmers last year produced 187,000 tonnes of which 145,000 tonnes, or more than three-quarters, is exported. Of those exports, 48,000 tonnes goes to countries outside the EU, he said.

 

The halt will remain in place until either the prescribed periods for the bans, which vary from country to country, lapse, or the agreements are amended, Bunkenborg said.