December 12, 2005

Romania hit by new bird flu cases
 

Romania has been hit by new bird flu cases, this time in a region west of the Danube Delta, authorities said.

According to the Animal Health and Diagnosis Institute's director Nicolae Stefan, poultry in Odaile and Padina villages in Buzau County were found infected with the H5 type of bird flu.

Stefan added that Odaile would be quarantined and about 8,000 poultry would be culled.

Authorities have also reported the H5 virus in several hens and turkeys in Braesti village within the same county. Braesti is about 130 kilometres west of the Danube Delta and about 150 kilometres north-east of the country's capital Bucharest.

A British laboratory has recently confirmed the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu in samples from Bumbacari, Dudescu, Ciocile, Periprava and Agighiol villages, Stefan said. The five villages are located in and around the Danube Delta region.

Meanwhile, three hens in Tataru village in Braila County were suspected with bird flu, said Romania's chief veterinarian Ion Agafitei.

The agriculture ministry also reported the H5 virus in poultry found dead in the Tonea and Calarasi regions. Both regions have been quarantined.

Romanian veterinary official Raluca Monea said over 97,700 poultry have been culled since the outbreaks started in early October.

So far, the country has seen H5 bird flu outbreaks in 16 areas.