Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Newest bird flu outbreak in Romania marks 50th in country
Romanian veterinary officials on Wednesday confirmed a bird flu outbreak in poultry near Romania’s capital
The officials said dead poultry found in a village near the capital were infected with the H5N1 strain of avian influenza and immediately ordered the area put under quarantine.
Checkpoints were set up around Magurele in Ilfov County, about 50 miles southwest of Bucharest, and officials began testing for the bird flu virus in other poultry.
In the meantime, quarantine was lifted in three areas of Constanta County, on the Black Sea coast.
The total number of bird flu outbreaks in Romania stands at about 50. Officials said in addition to the birds already culled (slaughtered and disposed of), 100,000 additional birds would be culled to stop the bird flu virus from spreading.