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PARIS, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Kuwait reported an outbreak of the highly contagious H5N8 bird flu virus in ducks, geese and pheasants, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Monday, citing an official Kuwaiti report.
Some 144 birds were found dead in the region of Al Jarah, according to the report posted by the Paris-based OIE.
Different strains of bird flu have been spreading across Europe and Asia since late last year, leading to mass culling of poultry in certain countries and some human deaths in China.
This prompted the World Health Organization to call on all countries on Monday to monitor closely outbreaks of the deadly virus in birds and poultry and to report promptly any human cases that could signal the start of a flu pandemic.
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The H5N8 virus is highly deadly for poultry but has never been found in humans.
(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide, editing by Gus Trompiz) ((Sybille.deLaHamaide@thomsonreuters.com; +331 4949 5145; Reuters Messaging: sybille.delahamaide.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Some 144 birds were found dead in the region of Al Jarah, according to the report posted by the Paris-based OIE.
Different strains of bird flu have been spreading across Europe and Asia since late last year, leading to mass culling of poultry in certain countries and some human deaths in China.
This prompted the World Health Organization to call on all countries on Monday to monitor closely outbreaks of the deadly virus in birds and poultry and to report promptly any human cases that could signal the start of a flu pandemic.
The H5N8 virus is highly deadly for poultry but has never been found in humans.
(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide, editing by Gus Trompiz) ((Sybille.deLaHamaide@thomsonreuters.com; +331 4949 5145; Reuters Messaging: sybille.delahamaide.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
