August 31, 2005

Russia's Tyumen region hit again by bird flu

Russia's Tyumen region, the Urals, has been hit again by bird flu, this time in the village of Sladkovo, local authorities said.

57 infected birds were slaughtered in the village and measures were taken to prevent the disease from spreading.

Bird flu was earlier reported in seven settlements in the region's three districts.  So far, about 30,500 infected birds have been culled in the region, reports said.

Tyumen authorities have allocated about US$218,000 to curb the virus's spread.