Norway brings in outdoor poultry ban to prevent bird flu pandemic

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority imposed the ban on eight southern counties in February as a step toward preventing the possible spread of the deadly virus. The type of bird flu has not been detected in Norway.

Photo: Norway brings in outdoor poultry ban to prevent bird flu pandemic

The authority said it lifted the ban because there are no longer any areas of Norway that it considers at high risk.

"Because of the bird flu situation now, that means there are no special demands for the raising of poultry or other birds now," according to a statement, adding that measures could quickly be re-imposed if the situation changes.

Bird flu has killed at least 127 people worldwide since it began ravaging Asian poultry stocks in late 2003. Most human victims were infected through direct contact with sick birds, but experts fear the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily between humans, and spark a pandemic.