Austrian bird flu tests negative -ministry

VIENNA, Apr 9 (Reuters) Bird flu was not behind a sudden rise in dead fowl at a poultry farm in southern Austria, said the country's Health Ministry today.

''Not a single sample of those sent in for examination tested positive for the H5 influenza virus,'' the ministry said, in a statement. The samples were tested by the government agency for health and food safety, AGES.

The tests were ordered after 500 chicken died at the farm over a short period. The ministry said that it would further examine the reasons for the rise in deaths.

Austria has had many cases of bird flu in wild birds, and one case in domestic poultry in an animal sanctuary, but no commercial flocks have been affected.

Germany reported a case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus in commercial poultry last week.

REUTERS SY RAI1852