S. Korea Culls 3M Birds in Flu Fight

Culling seen as precautionary; no sign of disease spreading

(NEWSER) - Some 22,000 more birds are being killed in Britain after an outbreak of bird flu on a turkey farm in Suffolk, northeast of London. The cull has been extended to four nearby sites, although the disease has only been detected at the first farm. "This is a precautionary measure taken to prevent any spread of the disease," an official tells the BBC. More»

Concerns grow over H5N1 spread

(NEWSER) - Last month, two dead birds tested positive for the H5N1 virus, prompting Hong Kong authorities to kill some 20,000 more birds; now two more cases have been discovered. Two dead black-headed gulls—frequent winter visitors to the area and discovered separately—were found to have had the disease, fueling new concern over its spread, the AP reports. The new cases follow China's first human death from the disease in more than a year. More»

Virus is on the rise after declining for years

(NEWSER) - Get ready for a possible resurgence of bird flu: The UN is warning that wild bird migrations have brought the deadly virus to formerly virus-free countries, and adds that a mutant strain of H5N1 is spreading in Asia. The mutant strain can get around the defenses of current vaccines, the UN said in a statement calling for greater surveillance of any possible outbreaks. A 6-year-old girl died Aug. 14 in Cambodia of bird flu, the eight H5N1 death in that country this year, the AP reports. More»

(AP) - Three dead chickens tested positive for bird flu in Hong Kong, prompting the city to suspend poultry imports for 21 days and begin slaughtering tens of thousands of birds, an official said today. "We feel that Hong Kong is facing a new alert for bird flu," said the secretary for food and health. More»

Experts fear spread of disease, entrenched in avian population, to humans

(NEWSER) - The danger of a worldwide bird flu epidemic is growing as the virus becomes established in the avian population, Reuters reports. World Health Organization experts today urged all nations to prepare in case the H5N1 virus mutates into a form easily transferable between humans. In birds, the strain has spread across Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe. More»