Cyprus on bird flu alert

CYPRUS - The public health services were yesterday on full alert after it emerged an EU citizen displaying flu like symptoms at Limassol general hospital could possibly have avian influenza reports Cyprus Mail.

The man, who arrived at Larnaca airport from Germany yesterday, became unwell on his way to Limassol. He was taken to hospital where it emerged he had recently spent long periods of time in Thailand.

According to CyBC radio, the doctors ran a series of tests on the patient to screen for the H5 bird flu virus. The tests were sent to Greece for analysis, the results of which are expected back tomorrow. If the tests come back positive, samples will be sent to the UK to test whether it’s the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.

Health Minister Charis Charalambous said all precautions had been taken and the man had been placed in isolation. In the meantime the European Centre for Disease Control had been notified as would the airlines the man had used so as to alert the other passengers, he said.

The Health Minister could not last night be reached for further comment.

ThePoultrySite News Desk

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