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Ukrainian Authorities Consider Expanding Crimean Bird Flu Quarantine Area

update

Ukrainian officials say they are considering imposition of a quarantine throughout the country's Crimean Peninsula after a British laboratory confirmed that the bird flu in the area is a variety deadly to humans.

Agriculture Ministry spokesman, Oleksander Horobets, says the British laboratory confirmed that the virus is the deadly H5N1 strain that has killed more than 70 people in East Asia since 2003. He said authorities in the next few days will consider further measures.

President Viktor Yushchenko declared a state of emergency after the virus was first detected in northeastern Crimea earlier this month and then spread to at least 15 villages. Authorities have destroyed more than 60,000 domestic birds despite strong opposition from villagers who depend on them for food. The poultry are thought to have contracted the virus from migrating wild birds that travel by the millions over the area.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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