The Siberian office of the Russian emergencies ministry Tuesday said the outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in the constituent Tuva Republic was intensifying. The emergencies ministry first reported June 16 that 169 dead wild birds had been collected from the Ubsu-Nur Lake in the Ovyur district (Tuva), and the presence of H5N1 in their blood samples had been confirmed by the Kemerovo veterinary laboratory. A total 3,399 birds have died since the first were found on the lake June 13. The emergencies ministry warned further outbreaks were likely towards the end of July among young wild birds, as their immunity to the disease was weak. Bird Flue is in doubt since mice and fish have been also found dead.
|