Hungary suspects bird flu at southern geese farm
Five geese found dead in southeastern Hungary are being tested for suspected bird flu, an Agriculture Ministry official announced.
The dead birds, which have been taken to Budapest for testing, come from a farm that keeps 3,300 geese in the southeastern county of Csongrád. About 40 geese had fallen sick and some had died, Farming Ministry Secretary of State Fülöp Benedek told national newswire MTI.
Veterinarians who saw the birds said the suspicion of bird flu was justified.
Hungarian authorities set up a protected monitoring zone around the farm and informed all international organisations concerned, Benedek said.
The last case of bird flu in Hungary was reported in June 2006 and all restrictions connected to the disease were lifted in the country at the end of August 2006.
Hungary culled a million birds after the highly infectious H5N1 strain of bird flu was contracted by domestic poultry last year.
Avian influenza article source: Hungarian news service