Chickens at two farms in Pakistan test positive for the bird flu

Chickens at two farms tested positive for the H5 strain of bird flu in northwestern Pakistan, but authorities doubted the outbreak was caused by the deadly H5N1 strain, an official said Monday.

Photo: Chickens at two farms in Pakistan test positive for the bird flu

More tests were being done on the birds, and the results would be ready in about a week, said Mohammed Afzal, an official at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

"This is early information. The low pathogenic avian influenza H5 has been detected at two farms," Afzal told The Associated Press.

One farm was in the hill resort city of Abbottabad, and the other was in Charsadda, near the provincial capital of Peshawar, he said.

Pakistan hasn't reported a case of H5N1 in the past two years. But in 2003, between 3 million and 4 million chickens were killed after an outbreak of the H7N3 strain of bird flu, reports the AP.

I.L.