Ukraine reports outbreak of H5 bird flu in backyard birds: OIE

PARIS (Reuters) - Ukraine reported an outbreak of a highly contagious bird flu virus among backyard birds in the southern part of the country, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Wednesday, citing a report from the Ukrainian government. After veterinary services were informed of an increase in mortality among birds in the village of Novooleksandrivka near the Black Sea, samples were taken from the dead birds and showed a positive result for highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza, the Ukrainian authorities said. It was not clear whether it was the H5N8 virus which has been found among wild birds and farms across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. (Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide and Gus Trompiz)