# 1507
Turkey suffered mightily from bird flu, including at least a dozen (some say more) human cases in January of 2006. Since then, there have been sporadic outbreaks in poultry, but no human cases reported. When the virus is detected, the Turkish government generally takes strong actions to contain it.
We are just now getting word of a die off of poultry in a northern village that tests indicate is due to bird flu. The exact strain hasn't been determined.
New bird flu case reported in Turkish village
The Associated Press
Published: January 21, 2008
ANKARA, Turkey: Several dead chickens tested positive for the bird flu virus in a northern Turkish village, Agriculture authorities said Monday, adding that further tests were underway to determine the virus strain.
The chickens were found dead in Saz, a village in Zonguldak province, the Agriculture Ministry announced. Samples tested positive for bird flu, but it was unclear if the strain was the deadly H5N1.
Measures were being taken to contain the disease, the ministry said.
Experts worry that the H5N1 strain, which remains hard for people to catch, could mutate into a form that spreads easily among humans, potentially sparking a pandemic. So far, most human cases have been traced to direct contact with sick birds.
During an H5N1 outbreak in Turkey in January 2006, 12 people were infected and four of them died.
