14 DAY TRIAL // Officials confirmed the second case of the deadly H5N1 virus found in a wild duck in France, found dead 5 days ago in the Ain region, village of Bouvent.
This case follows the first one, discovered a week ago, in the same region, at the same species of bird. Specials measures are taken by the authorities, making sure that no bird leaves the region, after last week's order from the government that all the domestic poultry be closed indoors.
France, Europe's largest poultry producer, experienced a dramatic decrease of sales, up to 30%. Chirac, hoping to reassure the public, stated: "I order you remind our compatriots that bird flu doesn't affect poultry farms and that there is no danger in consuming poultry and eggs." Following the president's example, the prime minister, Dominque de Villepin, appeared on TV eating chicken in the region where the infected birds were found.
Germany recently announced its first infection on domestic poultry, after having confirmed the virus in over 100 wild birds.
In Slovakia, there are reports of a dead bird infected with bird flu found in the capital and another at the Hungarian border.
In Malaysia, two infants are in the hospital, being suspected of aviary influenza and awaiting for test results. Meanwhile, health officials and volunteers are planning on searching around Kuala Lumpur to look for diseased birds and human infections. No human infection has been confirmed in Malaysia, the country reporting so far the infection in 40 chickens.
In India, tests conducted on humans show no sign of infection with the H5N1 strain. Checkpoints are being set up in order to contain the outbreak. In Navapur, nine people are in the hospital for suspicious symptoms and thousand of birds in the area were killed as a precaution against the disease.