10.11.2005

Two cases of avian influenza have been detected in fowl in Kuwait, a senior official said Thursday, the first evidence the virus has spread to the Persian Gulf region.
Sheik Fahd Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, the head of the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries, said the first case was in an imported bird and was discovered at the airport.
The second case, most probably a migrating wild fowl, was found on the beach, he said.
The official said the country had no cases of avian influenza among humans. Dr. Mohammed al-Mihana of the Public Authority was cited as telling The Associated Press that tests in a local laboratory indicated the strain was H5, but it was not determined if the strain was N1 or N2 (AP).