Ivory Coast has reported its first cases of H5N1 bird flu, in both domestic poultry and in wild birds, the World Organisation for Animal Health said today.

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.

INTERNATIONAL veterinary experts gathered in Paris to discuss the fight against bird flu as the lethal H5N1 strain made further advances in Africa, was confirmed in Bosnia, and French authorities started a mass vaccination programme of ducks and geese.

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.

A “highly pathogenic” strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in poultry stocks in Nigeria – the first reported case of the disease in Africa, the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health said today.