The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was confirmed yesterday in a third African country, deepening experts’ fears that the disease is becoming endemic on the poor, ill-equipped continent and that it may already be far more widespread than reported.

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was today confirmed in a third African country, deepening experts’ fears that the disease is becoming endemic on the poor, ill-equipped continent and that it may already be far more widespread than reported.

Niger has become the second African country with confirmed cases of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain.