Danish Bird-Flu Case Confirmed As H5N1 Strain

Text of report by Danish radio website on 16 March; subheadings as published:

Tests on the influenza virus from the buzzard which was confirmed to be infected with bird flu yesterday evening have now been concluded. It is the H5N1 strain, the Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research states after cultivating the virus from the buzzard.

Compared with other finds

The Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research is now sending the virus to the EU’s reference laboratory in the United Kingdom for verification. The results are expected within one to two weeks.

The Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research is also sending the virus to the State Serum Institute, which can perform full-length sequencing on the virus.

Full-length sequencing makes it possible to compare influenza viruses from other parts of the world. It will therefore provide information on how closely related the virus found in the buzzard is to other discoveries made in Europe and Asia.

Result expected

It was expected that H5N1 was involved. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration therefore reacted yesterday, setting up protective and monitoring zones in southwestern Zealand.

The protective and monitoring zones will therefore remain unchanged.