ISLAMABAD, 18 April 2006 — Pakistani health officials were monitoring the condition of four poultry farm workers after an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus at a farm near Islamabad, an official said yesterday. The affected workers have confined to their homes.
The Agriculture Ministry confirmed the outbreak on Sunday, the first since two farms in Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) were found to be infected in February. The ministry said that officials suspect it may have been caused by infected wild birds entering the farm. All four workers were at their homes, but they had not been quarantined, said Jalil Kamran, head of the National Institute of Health’s epidemic investigation cell.
Samples of blood and throat swabs had been taken from them for testing, he added.
“They have been asked to inform local health officials immediately if they feel (a rise in ) temperature or flu,” he said, adding that test results were expected later this week.
