Russia reports bird flu in sixth region

MOSCOW (Reuters) – A bird flu outbreak in Russia appeared
to be spreading westward on Monday after officials confirmed
the virus had broken out in a sixth region since the epidemic
struck the country in mid-July.

It was unclear whether the virus found in the Urals region
of Chelyabinsk was the deadly H5N1 strain that has killed more
than 50 people in Asia since 2003. It has been confirmed in a
number of Siberian regions and neighboring Kazakhstan.

Interfax news agency quoted Andrei Gasilov, vice-governor
of Chelyabinsk, as saying the virus had killed 60 birds in the
village of Oktyabrskoye on the Kazakh border since Saturday.

Other Russian regions hit by the flu include Novosibirsk,
Tyumen, Omsk, Kurgan and Altai.

Chelyabinsk, which borders Kurgan on the east side of the
Ural mountains dividing Europe and Asia, is the westmost region
to have been struck so far.

The Emergencies Ministry in Moscow, contacted by Reuters,
could not confirm the Chelyabinsk outbreak.

Although no humans have yet been affected, there are fears
the disease could spread to humans on the Eurasian landmass,
possibly unleashing a global influenza pandemic.

Interfax quoted Gasilov as saying domestic birds were being
culled in the village to prevent the virus, which has killed
more than 10,000 birds countrywide, from spreading further.

Officials said wild birds, increasingly active in August as
they prepare to migrate to warmer regions in Europe, Asia and
America, were to blame.

“Results of epizootic checks have shown that they (migrant
birds) are the main source of infection,” Ria-Novosti news
agency quoted an official with the Novosibirsk state consumer
rights watchdog as saying.