(CBS/AP) Authorities in Greece confirmed the country's first case of bird flu Monday, the first in the European Union, on a turkey farm on the Aegean Sea island of Oinouses, near the Turkish coast.

Agriculture Minister Evangelos Basiakos said the H5 virus had been detected in one of nine turkeys tested on Oinouses.

Preliminary tests have identified bird flu and narrowed down the virus to the H5 type, but more rigorous testing is being conducted to determine whether it is the deadly H5N1 strain that scientists are tracking for fear it could mutate and spawn a lethal human flu pandemic capable of killing millions.

According to Basiakos, the owner of a small turkey farm with 20 birds informed the local veterinary service about "the presence of strange symptoms and losses among the turkeys."

Originally posted by Toxic Fox
Very hot news, I'm talking less then an hour since it was released to the news.

Bird Flu found in Greece

Snippet:

(CBS/AP) Authorities in Greece confirmed the country's first case of bird flu Monday, the first in the European Union, on a turkey farm on the Aegean Sea island of Oinouses, near the Turkish coast.

Agriculture Minister Evangelos Basiakos said the H5 virus had been detected in one of nine turkeys tested on Oinouses.

Preliminary tests have identified bird flu and narrowed down the virus to the H5 type, but more rigorous testing is being conducted to determine whether it is the deadly H5N1 strain that scientists are tracking for fear it could mutate and spawn a lethal human flu pandemic capable of killing millions.

According to Basiakos, the owner of a small turkey farm with 20 birds informed the local veterinary service about "the presence of strange symptoms and losses among the turkeys."

[edit on 17-10-2005 by Toxic Fox]