Cyprus treating German returning from Thailand as suspect bird flu case
Nicosa - Cypriot authorities were on alert Wednesday for a suspected case of bird flu after a German tourist who had traveled to the island from Thailand developed flu-like symptoms, officials said.
The patient is being treated in isolation at Limassol general hospital as a precaution.
Biological samples were sent to Greece to ascertain whether the man has contracted the deadly H5N1 strain. Results of those tests are not expected before Thursday.
"At the moment we believe it to be a remote possibility that this is a bird flu case, but precautionary measures are necessary," Health Minister Haris Charalambous told reporters.
The man arrived on Tuesday and was taken to hospital after he complained of flu symptoms. When doctors were informed he had recently been to Thailand -- a country of high bird flu risk -- a more extensive examination was carried out.
The H5N1 strain has caused dozens of human deaths in Asia and 165 fatalities worldwide.
Cyprus enforces stringent measures against bird flu, ensuring that all domestic poultry is kept in a confined space to prevent contact with migratory birds thought to be carriers of the avian flu virus. Agence France Presse
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