New Delhi:The bird flu virus that killed more than 60 people and caused heavy loss of livestock in south East Asia in 2003 has struck again, this time in Europe.
The Romanian state veterinary authority and a British lab today confirmed reports that the virus detected in samples from Romanian ducks on Saturday, last week exactly matches the lethal H 5 N 1 strain, which struck Asia in 2003.
Bulgaria, Romania's southern Black Sea neighbour, has stepped up controls to guard against a similar outbreak.
Turkey tested nine people from the Western town of Turgutlu for possible bird flu on Friday after 40 pigeons died, but no immediate sign of illness was detected.
Until now though Romania has not reported any cases of bird flu among humans.
?People must pay attention to our recommendations and they have to be calm, because we have the situation under control,? said Romanian Agriculture Minister Gheorghe Fultur.
The affected areas have been sealed off and the population is being vaccinated against regular flu to boost immunity.
In Brussels, European Commission (EU) spokesman, Robert Soltyk, said that the European Union is ready with preventative measures.
The Commission told EU governments on Friday to pinpoint areas most at risk and keep poultry separate from wild birds.
Place of origin
The H 5 N 1 strain first emerged in Hong Kong in 1997, causing the death of 1.5 million birds and killing 6 people.
It re-emerged in 2003 in South Korea, and has now spread to China, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Turkey and Romania.
Only 2 known drugs are effective against the virus namely Tamiflu and Zanamivir.
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