This discovery follows on the heels of the three dead swans that were found in Germany just last week. Germany's Federal Research laboratory confirmed that the swans found there had the positive strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus on Sunday.
Another three wild birds (two more swans and one Canadian goose) were also found dead in the same area in Germany just a few days prior. They all tested positive for the bird flu strain virus as well.
The Agriculture Ministry in France stated that officials have set up a control zone around the pond in Assenoncourt to watch for more possible avian flu bird deaths. Some of the country's bird activities, such as pigeon racing competitions have currently been banned.
The bird flu outbreak in the eastern regions of France that began in February 2006 was quickly stopped by the killing of approximately 11,000 turkeys, farm quarantines, and a vaccination process of fowl in the country.
In the prior month of June, there were several wild birds found in Bavaria and Saxony that had also tested positive for the bird flu virus.
It is still believed that the risk to humans unlikely without direct contact with infected birds. However, medical experts are concerned that a global pandemic could arise due to a mutated formation of the virus that they believe could then easily spread among humans.
The World Health Organization statistical data confirms a total of 313 humans infected worldwide to date by the deadly Avian flu, with a total of 191 deaths of these cases.
