Bird-flu antibodies found in Romania

A swan has been discovered with bird-flu antibodies near the Ukrainian border, Romania’s agriculture minister said today.Gheorghe Flutur said the bird had tested positive in the village of CA Rosetti, in the Danube Delta some six miles from Ukraine.

Flutur said several swans and a wild duck had also been discovered with antibodies in the villages of Ceamurlia de Jos and Maliuc, two localities where bird flu has already been detected.

Officials confirmed on Saturday that the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain had been detected in Ceamurlia de Jos. The fresh cases will subjected to further tests to determine whether they carry the bird flu virus, Flutur said.

Flutur said he would implement a regional strategy involving neighbouring Moldova and Ukraine, and officials from the three countries will meet in Odessa in Ukraine on Thursday, reports Ireland. I.L.