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New Bird Flu Cases Fuel Fears Virus May Spread Further in Romania

Posted on: Friday, 17 February 2006, 09:00 CST

New bird flu cases fuel fears virus may spread further in Romania

BUCHAREST, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- New bird flu cases were found Thursday in three more villages in eastern Romania, fueling fears that the deadly virus may further spread in that region, health authorities said.

The new infections, preliminarily detected to be the H5 strain of the virus, were discovered in the eastern villages of Navodari, Tuzla and Ostrov, where local authorities have ordered the quarantine and slaughter of all poultry and vaccination of the locals.

As the spread of the H5N1 virus has led to a shortage of health staff and vaccine supplies, health authorities have asked neighboring areas to send medical workers and vaccine to the affected sites.

So far, the killer virus has been found in 31 villages in Romania since it was first detected in the Danube delta last October. However, no human cases have been reported.

A team comprising experts from the United States and World Health Organization (WHO) has arrived here to help Romania find ways to fight the virus, according to reports by Romanian radio on Thursday.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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