- Title: GERMANY: Authorities confirm Avian flu found in at least 13 birds in Germany
- Date: 17th February 2006
- Summary: (W3) ISLAND OF RUEGEN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 17, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT SWANS IN WATER ON BALTIC SEA ISLAND OF RUEGEN; SWANS SWIMMING; DEAD BIRD LYING IN WATER; WIDE OF LIVE BIRDS IN DISTANCE; DEAD SWAN ON CHUNK OF ICE; FISHERMEN ON MOTORBOAT, PAN TO WATER; LIVE SWAN IN WATER; SWANS FLYING OFF; LIVE SWAN IN WATER (10 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 4th March 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- City:
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVAAAAYWC7402X6BS0FOWM8Y3REK
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: At least 13 dead birds found in Germany were infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, and more could follow, authorities said on Friday (February 17, 2006).
Nine swans and one goose were infected, the ministry added. Two swans and a hawk found dead on the Baltic Sea island of Ruegen were confirmed with H5N1 on Wednesday.
Officials wearing gas masks and protective suits meanwhile continued collecting dead birds from the icy waters of the Baltic Sea and its shores.
Karl-Heinz Walter, the officer in charge for Ruegen local authorities, told Reuters Television that "there are still dead animals frozen on the ice and we can't reach those at the moment."
"There are other areas too which are very difficult to reach," Walter said, adding "weather permitting, we have asked for helicopters to locate the animals. We can no longer do that on foot."
Germany's ban to keep poultry outdoors, brought forward by several days after the discovery of the first bird flu cases, came into effect on Friday.
On Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer brought forward the ban to Feb. 17, just hours after the ministry had changed the date to Feb. 20 from March 1.
In the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, chicken farm owner Albert Huber was not too concerned yet about the well-being of his animals despite the ban.
"With the current wet and cold weather we offer the animals a nice home, a healthy and clean barn with enough water and food, a place where they can roam around and feel very comfortable," Huber said, who is also head of the state's poultry association. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None