Number of bird flu cases rises to 11 in Switzerland

With the discovery of four new cases of H5 bird flu, the total number of bird flu cases in Switzerland rose to 11 on Sunday.

The latest H5 cases were all found in the northeastern region of the country, involving two ducks and a coot in canton Thurgau and another coot in canton Zurich.

The Federal Veterinary Office said in Bern that it had sent samples, as with previous cases, to an EU laboratory in Britain to test whether the birds had died of the most dangerous H5N1 virus.

So far only one H5N1 case involving a wild duck has been confirmed in the country, whose lakes usually attract a lot of migratory wild birds.

No domestic fowl in the country have tested positive for the disease.

The veterinary office said that it expected further cases in the next few days as surveillance programs have been stepped up around the country.

Source: Xinhua