July 10, 2006

EU confirms bird flu infected wild duck in Spain

A lethal strain of the bird flu virus has been found in a wild duck in northern Spain's Basque region, the European Commission confirmed Friday (Jul 7).

Spain has imposed European safety standards within a 10-kilometre radius of where the bird was found, the commission said in a statement.

Spanish tests confirmed the lethal virus, and samples will now be tested by the EU's central laboratory in Weybridge, UK.

Spain is the fourteenth EU member state to report a case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, which could wipe out domestic flocks if not controlled.

Under European rules, there will be restrictions on the movement, slaughter and sale of poultry as well as surveillance standards within a 10-kilometre radius of where the bird was found.