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Below is a roundup of the key developments on the spread of the bird flu virus (H5N1) and the threat it poses to human health. Each title is a link to the full article.


Click here to see the latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures of confirmed human cases.


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Monday 20 February 2006
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Egypt and India race to control bird flu outbreaks
Egypt and India are taking steps to control their first outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in poultry (Source: SciDev.Net).

Sri Lanka fears bird flu may hit rebel areas

A Sri Lankan official warns that bird flu could arrive in the country if diseased chickens are smuggled by boat from India to areas held by Tamil separatists (Source: Reuters).


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Sunday 19 February 2006
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India carries out huge bird cull
India is culling about half a million birds, after finding the country’s first cases of H5N1 in poultry (Source: BBC Online).


FAO to help Côte d’Ivoire prepare for bird flu
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has pledged technological assistance to help the nation prepare for a possible outbreak of bird flu (Source: People’s Daily Online).


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Saturday 18 February 2006
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India detects H5N1 in poultry
India has detected its first cases of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain in the western state of Maharashtra (Source: BBC Online).


France confirms bird flu in wild duck
France has detected the H5N1 virus for the first time, in a wild duck found dead near Lyon (Source: BBC Online).


Indonesia confirms 19th human bird flu death
Bird flu has killed a 19th Indonesian, a 23-year-old man, according a health ministry official (Source: Reuters).


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Friday 17 February 2006
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Egypt finds deadly bird flu virus
Egypt has detected its first cases of the H5N1 bird flu strain in three areas, including the capital Cairo (Source: BBC Online).


Cambodia and Laos step up bird flu surveillance
Richard Stone reports from Cambodia and Laos on efforts to boost their capacity to face the threat of bird flu (Source: Science).


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Thursday 16 February 2006
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Second Iraqi dies of bird flu
The uncle of an Iraqi girl who died last month after contracting the bird flu also died of the disease (Source: Press Association).


Thai dogs carry bird flu virus
Large numbers of domestic dogs and cats may carry the H5N1 virus, but it is unclear whether this will affect the spread of the disease (Source: Nature).


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Wednesday 15 February 2006
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H5N1 found in swans in seven countries
Swans infected with the H5N1 virus have been found dead in Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Iran and Slovenia (Source: Xinhua).


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Tuesday 14 February 2006
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Iran announces first bird flu outbreak
Iran has confirmed that dead swans found in wetlands near the Caspian Sea had the H5N1 bird flu virus (Source: SciDev.Net).


Deadly bird flu spreads to Austria, Germany and Iran
Austria, Germany and Iran and are the latest countries to detect the virus that has killed 91 people worldwide (Source: Reuters).


Morocco steps up bird flu checks as migration begins
Morocco increases checks for H5N1 as birds begin migrating north from sub-Saharan Africa (Source: Reuters).


Voodoo priests at risk as bird flu hits Africa
Priests in Benin who tear out the throats of live chickens in voodoo rituals risk contracting bird flu if the virus arrives there (Source: Reuters).


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Monday 13 February 2006
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UN urges halt to cross-border chicken trade near Nigeria
UN agencies have called for a total ban on moving poultry across borders in the region to limit the spread of the virus (Source: UN News Centre).