Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 confirmed in Sweden
March 18, 2006
Sweden on Friday reported its second case of the highly pathogenic H5 bird flu virus in a mallard(duck).
It was strongly suspected (but not yet confirmed) to be the deadly H5N1 strain, said a press release of the European Commission,the executive arm of the European Union (EU).
The Swedish authorities have informed the Commission that they are applying the precautionary measures, including establishment of a high risk area (a 3 kilometers protection zone) and a surrounding surveillance zone of 10 kilometers.
The duck was found dead on a game farm near the town of Oskarshamn, on the eastern coast of Sweden.
Samples will be sent to the EU Reference Laboratory in Weybridge of Britain to confirm if this is the Asian strain of the H5N1 virus.
The affected farm is located within the surveillance zone which had already been established in response to a confirmed case of avian influenza in wild birds on February 28.
This is the second suspected or confirmed outbreak of avian influenza H5N1 on a commercial farm in the EU, with the first being the outbreak on a turkey farm in the Department of Ain in France late February.
Sweden on Friday reported its second case of the highly pathogenic H5 bird flu virus in a mallard(duck).
It was strongly suspected (but not yet confirmed) to be the deadly H5N1 strain, said a press release of the European Commission,the executive arm of the European Union (EU).
The Swedish authorities have informed the Commission that they are applying the precautionary measures, including establishment of a high risk area (a 3 kilometers protection zone) and a surrounding surveillance zone of 10 kilometers.
The duck was found dead on a game farm near the town of Oskarshamn, on the eastern coast of Sweden.
Samples will be sent to the EU Reference Laboratory in Weybridge of Britain to confirm if this is the Asian strain of the H5N1 virus.
The affected farm is located within the surveillance zone which had already been established in response to a confirmed case of avian influenza in wild birds on February 28.
This is the second suspected or confirmed outbreak of avian influenza H5N1 on a commercial farm in the EU, with the first being the outbreak on a turkey farm in the Department of Ain in France late February.
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