Deadly bird flu strain hits Nigeria

THE deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected on a large commercial chicken farm in Nigeria - the first reported outbreak in Africa, the World Organisation for Animal Health said yesterday.

No human infections have been reported, it said.

Nigeria said the outbreak was on a farm in Jaji, a village in the northern state of Kaduna. Agriculture Minister Adamu Bello said the deadly strain was detected in samples taken on January 16 from birds on the farm.