Spain detects its first case of H5N1 bird flu

MADRID, July 7 (Reuters) A Spanish laboratory has confirmed the country's first case of H5N1 bird flu after analysing a sample taken from a wild migratory water bird, the Agriculture Ministry today said.

The dead great crested grebe was found in the northern province of Alava and a sample sent to the National Reference Laboratory on Thursday revealed ''high pathogen'' H5N1, the ministry said.

The government has forbidden transport of poultry or bird hunting within a 3 km protection zone round the place where the grebe was found and is monitoring within a 10 km radius, the ministry said.

''We have reinforced monitoring of the countryside in order to detect any deaths among wild birds as soon as possible,'' the ministry said.

It said there were no commercial poultry farms within 10 km of the Salburua wetland, near the city of Vitoria, where the bird was found.

With cases in Italy and other European countries, experts had said it was only a matter of time before Spain also confirmed it had found an infected bird.

The country has already enforced rules to cover poultry being bred close to many wetlands areas in order to prevent migrating birds infecting domestic fowl and keep the deadly virus from coming into contact with humans.

Earlier this year the Madrid region ordered all poultry farms to enclose their birds, whether close to wetlands or not, and others may follow suit. But many smallholders in villages also keep chickens unregistered in their backyards.

The European Commission said it had been informed of the test result and that the Spanish authorities are applying the measures required by EU legislation as agreed by member states and the Commission.'' ''In the protection zone, poultry movements are restricted and poultry must be confined indoors,'' said Philip Tod, the Commission's spokesman on health and consumer protection.

Although there is no vaccine for birdflu, Spain has stockpiled anti-viral drugs, which suppress its symptoms. Last year the government said it was buying enough drugs to cover 20 per cent of the population.

Agriculture Minister Elena Espinosa said there was no reason for alarm.

''It's important to stress that the bird is a wild one and remind everyone that this is a bird disease that is not passed on by eating poultry products,'' she told a news conference.

Chicken sales suffered in the past when bird flu cases were discovered in neighbouring countries.

The Small Farmers' Union gave a similar message.

''This does not constitute a problem for our farms or a reason to be alarmed,'' the union's Secretary General Lorenzo Ramos told radio station SER.

Reuters SY DB2311