EU: Bird flu found in Turkey is deadly strain

? The European Union on Thursday said the bird flu virus found in Turkish poultry was the H5N1 strain that scientists worry might mutate into a human virus and spark a pandemic. Turkey’s health minister said the outbreak had been contained.

“We have received now confirmation that the virus found in Turkey is an avian flu H5N1 virus,” said EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. “There is a direct relationship with viruses found in Russia, Mongolia and China.”

The birds were found dead in a village outside of Balikesir, western Turkey, which has been under a two-mile quarantine for the past week.

Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said the outbreak had been contained and urged the public to remain calm, saying the country was well-prepared.

“Bird flu is totally under control,” Akdag said. “The outbreak in winged animals occurred in one area and has been contained.”

Kyprianou said authorities were assessing precautionary measures to warn people traveling to countries where the disease has been diagnosed to avoid “going to farms, coming in contact with wild birds and so on.”