More bird flu cases detected in Romania

Preliminary tests have indicated several new cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in domestic fowl in eastern and southern Romania, authorities said today.

In one of the cases, the national laboratory in Bucharest detected the virus in samples from several dead chickens on two household farms in the southern village of Morteni, some 50 miles west of the capital, said Grigore Mertoiu, who heads the local animal health agency.