Germany reports deadly bird flu virus on turkey farm

PARIS (REUTERS) - Germany reported cases of a highly pathogenic bird flu virus on a turkey farm in the northeastern part of the country, the first occurrence of the disease in over five years, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Thursday.

Turkeys were found infected with the H5N8 serotype of the disease on Nov 4 at a farm in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Paris-based OIE reported on its website, citing data submitted by the German ministry of agriculture.

Some 5,000 birds were infected by the disease, of which 1,880 died, the report showed.

The H5N8 has never been detected in humans but has led to massive culling of animals in countries infected, such as South Korea which had to slaughter millions of farm birds to try and contain the outbreak.