July 3, 2006

Danish authorities lift final bird flu protection order

Danish authorities Friday (Jun 30) lifted an order to keep poultry indoors in central Denmark, where the country's first cases of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus among domesticated birds were reported last month.

A special protection zone with a three kilometre radius was declared May 19 around the village of Hundslev, near Kerteminde, on the central island of Funen where two guinea fowl and a peacock in the domesticated flock had tested positive for the deadly strain.

With the last requirement lifted Friday, there remained no other bird flu protection zones in the country, the Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research said.

However, the state agency urged poultry owners to remain cautious to prevent the deadly strain from resurfacing. Poultry should still be fed indoors or under a roof and chickens should be separated from ducks and geese, the institute said.

Denmark previously had confirmed 47 cases of H5N1 in wild birds.