EU remains on bird flu alert as tests continue

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1 hour, 59 minutes ago

BRUSSELS (AFP) - The European Commission has welcomed test results showing no signs so far of bird flu in Romania, but said the EU remains on alert for the potentially deadly virus after an outbreak in Turkey.

Suspected cases of avian influenza in Romania, combined with the Turkish outbreak, have rung alarm bells in the European Union, which fears that the disease could spread from Asia into the 25-nation bloc.

But the negative tests for Romania, for the moment at least, brought some relief in Brussels, though Romania's agriculture minister, Gheorghe Flutur, said Wednesday that slaughtering in the suspected infected area in the Danube delta would continue for the time being.

"All the virological tests carried out to date in Romania continue to prove negative for the presence of avian influenza," spokeswowan Nina Papadoulaki told AFP.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051012/wl_afp/healthflueuromaniaturkey_051012112132