Pakistan: More Outbreaks in Birds

# 480

As we've seen in other areas presumed to be free of the H5N1 virus for months, once it comes back, it tends to come back in multiple locations.

Bird flu rears its feathered head

February 20 2007 at 11:31AM

Islamabad - Authorities shut down a zoo in the Pakistani capital and slaughtered an unknown number of birds after the deadly H5N1 flu virus was found in peacocks and geese, officials said on Tuesday.

The outbreak at Islamabad's Marghzar zoo - a popular spot near a children's adventure playground that also houses elephants, monkeys and other animals - is the fourth case of the virus detected in Pakistan this month.

"We have closed the zoo for two to three days as a preventative measure and are busy vaccinating other birds and spraying the compound," zoo director Raja Javed told AFP.

Javed said five geese and five peacocks had died due to suspected bird flu at the zoo in past two days and that preliminary tests indicated the deadly H5N1 strain.

Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Afzal said test results had confirmed H5N1.

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