Slovakia says finds first cases of H5N1 flu virus

BRATISLAVA, Feb 23 (Reuters) Initial tests in Slovakia showed the H5N1 strain of bird flu in a wild falcon and a grebe, the first two cases of the virus found in the country, Agriculture Minister Zsolt Simon said today.

The samples will now be sent to the EU's reference laboratory in Weybridge, Britain, for confirmation of the results.

Simon said the H5N1 strain of bird flu, which is deadly to humans, was discovered in birds found dead on Tuesday.

The dead grebe was found near the Danube river outside the capital Bratislava, on land owned by oil refiner Slovnaft. The falcon was found in Gabcikovo, on the river Danube about 60 km southeast of the capital.

REUTERS SHR RK1413