1st Bird Flu Cases in Northern Ukraine

KIEV (Reuters) - Teams of veterinarians have been sent to destroy domestic poultry in northern Ukraine after the first appearance of bird flu in the region, Interfax Ukraine news agency reported on Monday.

Avian flu had previously been detected late last year in the Crimea peninsula, a major stopover point on migratory routes jutting into the Black Sea in southern Ukraine.

Interfax, quoting Ukraine's Emergencies Ministry, said 77 specialists had been sent along with police to a village in Sumy region, near the border with Russia, after cases were noted on Sunday. Plans called for 7,200 birds to be destroyed.

It said villagers had been offered compensation.

The dispatch, however, made no mention of whether the virus detected was the deadly H5N1 type as was found in Crimea. Previous instances of bird flu in Ukraine have required further checks at laboratories in western Europe.

Specialized teams of sanitary workers destroyed well over 200,000 birds after the outbreak in Crimea. No human cases were recorded.

Ukraine's authorities have said that outbreak was brought under control but have predicted further difficulties during the passage of migratory birds through the country this year.

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