Bird-Flu Outbreak Still Possible In Turkey

Officials dispose of poultry in Turkey to reduce the risk of bird flu (file photo) (AFP) 26 January 2006 -- Markos Kyprianou, the European Union's health commissioner, says Turkey still faces a possible danger from the deadly bird-flu virus.
Kyprianou made the remarks in Ankara as his team of experts met with authorities in Turkey to ensure the country was taking appropriate steps to stop the virus from spreading.

A total of 21 people in Turkey have tested positive for the deadly strain. Four of them, all children, have died.


Experts fear the virus, which has killed at least 82 people worldwide since 2003, will mutate into a form that spreads easily among humans. So far, most of the victims appear to have caught the virus from close contact with infected birds.


(AP)

Affected Areas

Affected Areas


Click on the map for a closer view of the areas within RFE/RL's broadcast region where cases of diseased fowl have been confirmed. Last updated on February 20.

BIRD FLU, or avian influenza, continues to menace scattered areas from East Asia, where the disease first appeared, to Southeastern and Eastern Europe and beyond. Authorities around the world are bracing themselves -- and, more importantly, planning and taking measures to fight the disease wherever it appears.

Stories Of Particular Interest:

Bird-Flu Expert Discusses Issue Of Migratory Birds

Bird Flu: As European Worries Grow, Some See Benefits In Alarm

WHO Laboratory In London Is At Center Of Drama