Bird flu found in three turkish villages

Agriculture authorities in Turkey today announced that the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus was detected in three more villages following a recent outbreak.

Authorities said laboratory tests confirmed the strain in the village of Doluca, Batman province as well as Akcayir and Yesilalan, in the neighbouring Diyarbakir province.

The H5N1 virus was first detected in Bogazkoy, Batman, earlier this month.

Authorities said a total of more than 3,500 birds have been culled in the affected villages. Hundreds of domestic fowl have died in the area over the past week and authorities have quarantined several villages.

Health officials were visiting the area, checking villagers for flu-like symptoms. Seven people have tested negative for the virus so far.

Experts worry that the H5N1 strain, which remains hard for people to catch, will mutate into a form that spreads easily among humans, potentially sparking a pandemic. So far, most human cases have been traced to direct contact with sick birds.