October 24, 2005

Russia detects new bird flu outbreak
 

Russia's government said it detected a new bird flu outbreak in Sunaly village, Chelyabinsk region. 31 chickens were reported dead there, and local authorities said six out of 12 samples tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu strain.

A Chelyabinsk official said he suspected migratory birds were responsible for the infection, and added that all 1,060 birds in the affected village would be culled. Besides an imposed quarantine, all 89 villagers would also be vaccinated.

Meanwhile, authorities were also investigating another suspected outbreak in the country's Altai region. The government said bird flu was suspected to be the cause of 59 bird deaths in Pokrovka village there.