November 23, 2005

Bird flu found in southern Russian region

Russian veterinary authorities said Tuesday bird flu has been detected in a southern region and that measures were being taken to prevent it from spreading.

The country's veterinary service identified the H5 type of bird flu in 200 swans that were found dead in the Volga River delta in the Astrakhan region, the Agriculture Ministry said.

It has not yet been determined if it is the H5N1 strain that has devastated poultry stocks and killed at least 67 people in Asia since 2003.

Last month, bird flu spread west of the Ural Mountains, hitting the village of Yandovka, about 350 kilometres south of Moscow. No people have been infected by bird flu in Russia.