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Last week's outbreak in the African nation of Togo of bird flu has been confirmed as having been H5N1 by an independent laboratory in Italy.
Bird flu confirmed in Togo
LOME (AFP) - Independent tests carried out in Italy have confirmed the presence for the first time of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in poultry from the west African nation of Togo, officials said Wednesday.
"The results of the tests from the world reference laboratory in Padua have come in: it is clearly H5N1," said Agriculture Minister Yves Nagou Mado.
Several thousand poultry birds have been found dead in Togo recently, most of them in the past week on the one farm in Sigbehoue, 45 kilometres (30 miles) east of the capital Lome.
The agriculture ministry said last week that measures had been taken to try and contain the possible spread of the virus, notably the slaughtering and disposal of infected poultry.
Until now, no cases of H5N1 bird flu had been officially discovered in Togo, which since October last year had banned the import of live poultry and poultry products from countries affected by the virus.
Neighbouring Ghana recorded last week its third outbreak of the deadly bird flu strain in Aflao, a town on the border with Togo.
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