EU identifies Turkey bird flu type as lethal H5N1

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The strain of bird flu that caused a
recent outbreak in Turkey is the deadly H5N1 type, confirming
the spread of the killer virus to Europe’s outer fringes, the
European Commission said on Saturday.

“The European Commission has been informed that test
results from the EU laboratory at Weybridge … confirmed that
the avian influenza virus, which has recently caused an
outbreak in poultry in eastern Turkey, is a high pathogenic
type H5N1,” it said in a statement.

Three children from the same family in a remote rural
district near Turkey’s border with Armenia have now died from
bird flu. Doctors are treating more than 20 other people,
mostly youngsters, suspected of having the deadly virus.

Laboratory tests were continuing to clarify the
epidemiological situation, the statement said. An international
expert team was visiting the affected areas.

An EU ban on imports from Turkey of live birds and poultry
products, imposed in October, would remain, it added.