Afghanistan also grapples with bird flu

March 23, 2006
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March 23, 2006 (Kabul): After Pakistan confirmed its first cases of bird flu in two farms in the North West Frontier province, neighbouring Afghanistan has also confirmed the outbreak.

Thousands of chickens are being culled in three provinces. Samples from Laghman, Nangarhar and Kabul provinces have all tested positive for H5N1.

The government has agreed to compensate for the chickens being slaughtered.

As much as 85 per cent of the Afghan population lives in close contact with poultry, with most rural families having several chickens in the backyard. However, no human cases have been reported yet in Afghanistan.

SOURCE: NDTV

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