Kuwait has detected a new case of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, raising the total number of the cases to 53 in the Gulf state since late February, local daily Arab Times reported Friday.

Dr. Rashed Owaish, spokesman for the Kuwaiti Health Ministry, was quoted as saying that the virus was found Thursday in a chicken in Wafra area, 120 km south of Kuwait City.

"Wafra has reported the maximum number of bird flu cases and our teams are working in overdrive in that area to prevent the spread of the disease," said the spokesman.

The spokesman confirmed most of the cases were detected in backyard poultry and not in poultry farms, noting that no human cases of bird flu have been discovered since the outbreak late last month.

"The situation is under control as the number of cases is decreasing by the day and we are hopeful we will be able to eradicate the disease soon," said the spokesman.

Owaish said a team of experts from the International Animal Health Organization have held talks with officials from the Kuwaiti Health Ministry on ways to prevent the spread of the disease.

"The team will submit a detailed report to the Health Ministry pertaining to the bird flu situation in the country on Friday," he added.

Source: Xinhua