Fears grow that Nigeria bird flu 'may be extensive'

A deadly strain of bird flu may have emerged in eight of Nigeria’s 36 states, authorities said yesterday, amid concerns the virus had been spreading long before officials knew it was in Africa.

Also yesterday, authorities began screening workers from a northern Nigerian farm where Africa’s first documented cases of the H5N1 strain were confirmed last week – after thousands of birds had died. But authorities lacked testing equipment and workers appeared reluctant to come forward.