Bird-flu worries increase after more outbreaks

Nigeria and Niger are the latest countries to be identified as being host to the deadly virus. And Iran has also seen outbreaks with 175 swans having been identified with the H5N1 virus. Germany is also on alert after two swans were identified there with the virus. H5N1 has been identified in many European countries. Cases of the H5N1 virus have been seen in Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Turkey in recent weeks. But after a lull in reported cases there were at least two reported cases found in Greece and Italy last weekend. [CNN]. There have even been cases reported in Iraq. At least one girl has died from the H5N1 virus according to CNN, and there are further cases in Fallujah and Ramadi. The New York Times also reported that a 25 year old fisherman may have died as a result of the H5N1 virus. So far, almost all humans infected with the virus have caught it from birds, but international health organizations are deeply concerned about the possibility that the strain will mutate to allow widespread human-to-human transmission.