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Bird Flu in Romania

Authorities in Romania were culling thousands of domestic birds in the Danube Delta region to try and put a stop to the bird flu. Preventing the spread of a deadly strain of bird flu is top priority now in Romania, and in Turkey, where the strain has also been found. Authorities are working swiftly and throroughly to eliminate this deadly strain of the H5N1 bird flu.

Officials said they were also awaiting test results from a British laboratory on samples from birds found dead in Maliuc, a village about 30 kilometers from Ceamurlia de Jos, where the H5N1 bird flu strain was first detected in Romania.

The strain has already appeared in Turkey, and the European Union has banned all poultry imports from Turkey and Romania. The EU`s top public health official, Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou, said Saturday no further measures to prevent the disease spreading from Romania and Turkey were immediately needed.

Authorities around the world fear the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form that can be passed among people, leading to a flu pandemic which some say could potentially kill millions. Although it is difficult for humans to contract the strain now, it is still imperative to eradicate the strain from poultry and birds immediately.