November 16, 2007

Saudi Arabia culls 50,000 birds infected with avian flu

Saudi Arabia culled 50,000 birds at a poultry farm in the Kharj region after the deadly H5N1 was detected last night.

The Ministry of Agriculture said that tests were carried out 150 kilometers south of Riyadh after 1,500 birds died. The authorities also took measures to ensure that the nearby farms were not affected with the virus.

Officials reassured that no human cases have been found.

Bird flu cases were first discovered in Saudi Arabia around March this year. This led to a ban on live poultry imports.