Sudan finds 1 man, 5 chickens with bird flu virus

CAIRO, Apr 18 (Reuters) Sudan has found one man and five chickens infected with the bird flu virus, an official from the Health Ministry today told Reuters.

Head of the epidemics department, Magdi Salih, said tests carried out by Sudanese authorities on the man and the chickens had proved positive for bird flu, but he did not say if the virus was the deadly H5N1 strain.

The infected chickens were found at two farms in Sudan's Khartoum and Jazeera provinces and he added that the infected man was the owner of one of the farms.

Samples would be sent abroad for further tests, he said.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been confirmed in neighbouring Egypt, which has reported four human deaths from the virus.

REUTERS SB RN2103