Lethal H5N1 Bird Flu Strain Confirmed In Cyprus

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 30 Jan 2006 - 14:00 PDT

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The European Commission has confirmed that the lethal H5N1 bird flu virus strain has been found in the Turkish part of Cyprus. Cyprus is divided into two parts, the Greek and the Turkish parts.

Greece is part of the European Union while Turkey is not, therefore only the Greek part of Cyprus is part of the EU. Turkey is in talks with the EU about accession.

The border between the two parts of Cyprus is known as The Green Line. The EU says no animal products can cross the Green Line - this includes any kind of bird. Obviously, wild birds come and go as they please and there is nothing authorities can do about them.

The northern part of Cyprus is Turkish while the southern part is Greek.

The EU is sending scientists to the Turkish part of Cyprus to study the disease more carefully.

Over the last two years bird flu (avian flu) has made its way from south east Asia, to Siberia, down to Turkey and now to Cyprus - an island in the Mediterranean sea. The EU is bracing itself for the arrival of bird flu.

The most lethal bird flu strain is the H5N1. This virus strain has so far killed 100 million birds worldwide over the last two years. About 180 humans are known to have caught the infection, of which about half have died.

Scientists say it is only a question of time before the virus mutates and learns how to spread quickly among humans. For the moment, humans can catch bird flu, but just from birds (human to human cases are currently extremely rare). Even so, it does not transmit easily from bird to human.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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