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Suspected H5N1 Birds Falling From Sky Near Sammara Iraq
Recombinomics Commentary
February 12, 2006
"Two birds fell down in front of my home and I ran away from my house as I am afraid that my family may catch this disease," said 28-year-old Shaiban Lafta, who left with his wife and four children, going towards Baghdad.
And doctor Muhammad Al-Qaisi the responsible for the veterinary laboratories in Baghdad confirmed that "the initial symptoms for the injury of the birds with a virus +H5N1 the exit of liquids from the birds mouth and the redness of its head which calls for holding my interior examination for the determination of the injury accurately."
The above comments strongly suggest that H5N1 infected birds were literally falling form the sky near Samarra. Other reports described several locations of dead birds just south of Samarra.
These data indicate wild birds are still dying and spreading H5N1 throughout Iraq. H5N1 has been officially confirmed in the north and media reports indicate H5N1 has been confirmed in the south. Thus, H5N1 appears to be throughout Iraq (see map) and additional bird deaths are ongoing.
However, reports also suggest suspect human cases are growing as is the largest cluster reported for Iraq, one patient dead and five relatives hospitalized in Amara.
Map
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