Bird Flu Confirmed in Greece

Posted on October 17, 2005

MSNBC.com reports that bird flu has been confirmed in Greece. Tests are being conducted to see if it is H5N1, the deadly flu strain infectious disease experts are concerned about. The disease was found in a turkey on Chios island.

Greece said on Monday it had detected one turkey with bird flu on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, becoming the first EU country where the virus has spread to.

"The Center for Veterinary Institutes has informed us that one of nine poultry samples has tested positive to bird flu (H5) antibodies," the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

State-run television quotes authorities as saying first bird flu case has been confirmed in Greece and tests and for the deadly H5N1 strain are pending.

Bird flu appears to spreading around Europe pretty quickly. However, there was some good news out of Romania which has reported no new cases since they culled poultry following findings of infected birds.


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