First Persian Gulf Bird Flu Cases Reported

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Associated Press

KUWAIT CITY — Two cases of bird flu have been detected in fowl in Kuwait, a senior official said Thursday, the first evidence the virus has spread to the Persian Gulf region.

Sheik Fahd Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, the head of the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries, said the first case was in an imported bird and was discovered at the airport.

The second case, most probably a migrating wild fowl, was found on the beach, he said.

The official said the country had no cases of bird flu among humans. He did not identify the strain of bird flu. The deadliest strain is the H5N1 variety.