Ukraine says bird flu found in Crimea is H5N1 strain

KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine has the highly pathogenic type of
bird flu that is potentially dangerous to humans, the strain
known as H5N1, officials said on Thursday, quoting preliminary
Russian data.

The disease was found in several villages in the Crimean
peninsula where about 2,500 birds died within hours. Local
residents said signs of illness were detected in September and
no action had been taken.

“We have information that the strain H5N1 was detected,”
Vyacheslav German, deputy director of the state institute for
biotechnology, told a news conference.