Eight people tested for bird flu virus in India

An Indian official has said that eight people are being tested for the bird flu virus.

An Indian official has said that eight people are being tested for the bird flu virus.

Earlier it was confirmed that dead poultry in India's western Maharashtra state has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus.

The state's animal husbandry minister said about 50,000 birds have died in the past few days and samples sent to a government laboratory in central Bhopal town have confirmed bird flu.

The minister said the birds died in Nandurbar district. This is the first case of the virus in India.

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Meanwhile, there are reports that Iran has confirmed that 135 dead swans had the H5NI strain of bird flu.

"We are treating it as an emergency. We are carrying out the operations of chilling birds in Nandurbar, north of Mumbai (state capital). We have sent 200 veterinary doctors there," Mr Ahmed said.