MOSCOW, December 20 (RIA Novosti) - The bird flu virus currently raging in the Crimea, southern Ukraine, has been identified as the Group A H5N1 strain genetically similar to the strains believed to have caused outbreaks in Japan, China and Russia's Far East, the Russian government agency for consumer rights protection said Tuesday.
Laboratories in Russia and London had previously confirmed the presence of the H5N1 strain, which is potentially lethal to humans, in the region.
Biological tests on dead and sick poultry from the Crimea showed the birds were infected with the H5N1 strain genetically similar to the Yokogama, Qinghai, Yunhan and Shantou strains, the agency said.
