Iraq reports first outbreaks of bird flu in 10 years

REUTERS/Antonio Parrinello

Iraq reported this week six outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus that occurred between mid-December and early February in the first occurrence of the disease in 10 years, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday.

Overall the virus killed 77,101 birds, mostly on farms, prompting the culling of another 641,498 birds as part of protection measures, it said, citing information from Iraq's agriculture ministry.