Canada discovers H5 avian flu virus in wild birds
AFP
Oct 31 4:08 PM US/Eastern
The H5 avian influenza virus has been found in wild migratory birds in Canada, officials said, but it is unlikely the deadly H5N1 strain threatening Asia and Europe and there is no threat to human health.
The virus, whose subtype must still be determined, was detected in 28 ducks in the eastern province of Quebec and five in Manitoba in central Canada out of approximately 4,800 samples, said Jim Clark of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
"These findings do not indicate that we are dealing with a virus strain capable of causing significant illness. The evidence we've observed strongly indicates that these healthy birds were not infected with the same virus that is currently present in Asia," Clark said during a press conference.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed more than 60 people and prompted the culling of 140 million birds in Asia in the past two years. [...]
Tests continue to determine the N type of the virus.
More results are expected in the coming weeks. However, it may not be possible to definitively identify the virus subtype because researchers were not able to isolate a live virus from the samples, Clark said. [...]
LINK
Oct 31 4:08 PM US/Eastern
The H5 avian influenza virus has been found in wild migratory birds in Canada, officials said, but it is unlikely the deadly H5N1 strain threatening Asia and Europe and there is no threat to human health.
The virus, whose subtype must still be determined, was detected in 28 ducks in the eastern province of Quebec and five in Manitoba in central Canada out of approximately 4,800 samples, said Jim Clark of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
"These findings do not indicate that we are dealing with a virus strain capable of causing significant illness. The evidence we've observed strongly indicates that these healthy birds were not infected with the same virus that is currently present in Asia," Clark said during a press conference.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed more than 60 people and prompted the culling of 140 million birds in Asia in the past two years. [...]
Tests continue to determine the N type of the virus.
More results are expected in the coming weeks. However, it may not be possible to definitively identify the virus subtype because researchers were not able to isolate a live virus from the samples, Clark said. [...]
LINK
posted by ... at 4:25 PM
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