The deadly H5N1 stain of bird flu has been confirmed at five more poultry farms near the Pakistani capital Islamabad and 25,000 chickens there have been culled.

Pakistan’s second outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain was confirmed today at a poultry farm near the capital, the agriculture ministry said.

Pakistan banned poultry imports from India, Iran and France today, while prohibiting wild bird hunting to protect against bird flu.