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Israel confirms deadly H5N1 bird flu

Israel on Friday confirmed the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain had been found in poultry, as the authorities prepared to slaughter fowl on southern farms in the country's first outbreak of bird flu.

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JERUSALEM: Israel on Friday confirmed the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain had been found in poultry, as the authorities prepared to slaughter fowl on southern farms in the country's first outbreak of bird flu.

 The authorities ordered poultry in a quarantined area in the southern Negev desert to be exterminated, as a kibbutz between Jerusalem and the commercial capital Tel Aviv was also sealed off when hundreds more birds were found dead. 

Moshe Haimovitch, director of veterinary services at the agriculture ministry, told reporters the deadly strain of the virus had been found in the kibbutzim of Ein Hashlosha and Holit, not far from the Gaza Strip.   

Around 11,000 turkeys in coops at the two farms have died in what is Israel's first outbreak of bird flu since the virus swept parts of Europe, central Asia and the Middle East.    Two Israelis living in the area who came into contact with the dead turkeys, have been put under observation in hospital.   

The H5N1 strain of bird flu, in its most aggressive form, has killed nearly 100 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation, and seen millions of birds destroyed amounting to huge losses for farmers.   

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