# 517
While definitive tests are pending, health authorities appear pretty confident that they have two human cases of the H5N1 virus in Afghanistan.
Two Afghans in hospital with bird flu symptoms
Asadabad. Two people are in hospital in Afghanistan with possible bird flu symptoms and their blood is being analysed to confirm whether they have the deadly virus, an official said Wednesday.
Afghanistan has not had any human cases of the H5N1 version of bird flu but last week confirmed outbreaks of the virus in chickens and turkeys in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar.
The two are in hospital in Kunar.
"We are sure that their symptoms indicate they have bird flu," provincial health chief Assadullah Fazli told AFP. "Blood samples have been sent to the capital for analysis."
Authorities in Kunar and Nangarhar are slaughtering birds and disinfecting areas where the outbreaks were confirmed. Around 4,000 birds are being vaccinated a day, officials said this week.
H5N1 has killed 167 people worldwide since 2003 and scientists fear a global pandemic if the virus mutates and becomes easily transmissible between humans.
Officials say Afghanistan is at high risk because most families keep birds in their backyards.
