Bird flu confirmed in Afghanistan

Lab tests have confirmed an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in Afghanistan, the United Nations and the government said in a joint statement today.

“The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has today been confirmed in Afghanistan in six samples,” it said.

The announcement comes a day after the government said it was almost certain of an H5N1 outbreak, but further tests at a UN Food and Agriculture Organisation lab in Italy were needed to confirm it.