Denmark confirms nine more cases of bird flu

Denmark confirmed nine more cases of birds infected with bird flu of the H5N1 type Monday, four days after the deadly strain was first detected in the country. Tests on nine wild tufted ducks found dead on the island of Aeroe showed they carried the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus, the Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research said.

Photo: Denmark confirms nine more cases of bird flu

Authorities established a protection zone on the small island, located about 170 kilometers (105 miles) southwest of the capital, Copenhagen, when initial tests Friday indicated the birds carried the disease. Denmark confirmed its first case of H5N1 on Thursday, when a buzzard tested positive. Samples were sent to the European Union reference laboratory in Britain for verification.

The H5N1 virus has killed at least 98 people in Asia, the Middle East and Turkey since 2003, according to the World Health Organization. Experts fear it may mutate into a form passed easily between people and spark a pandemic, reports the AP.

N.U.