Bloomberg: Poland Says Dead Swans Had Avian Flu; China Halts Bird Exports

[PhilipShore]

Bloomberg
Poland Says Dead Swans Had Avian Flu; China Halts Bird Exports
March 6

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=atRAKaOfv0gg&refer=top_world_news

March 6 (Bloomberg) -- Dead swans found in the northern city of Torun were infected with the bird flu virus, a Polish veterinary institute said. China halted the supply of live poultry, chicks and pet birds to Hong Kong for three weeks.

The number of countries to have reported an initial outbreak of the virus in birds more than doubled last month, as the H5N1 virus was discovered in Africa and Western Europe. More than 200 million fowl worldwide have been culled or died, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN.

Iraq, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Greece, Iran, Italy, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Germany, India, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Egypt Switzerland, Niger, Pakistan, Hungary and France are among countries to have reported outbreaks in February, according to the World Organization for Animal Health.

The WHO will hold a three-day meeting in Geneva starting today to discuss a rapid-response strategy in the event a flu pandemic does start, the United Nations agency said on its Web site.