A poultry farm with 25,000 birds reported deaths of 153 birds, confirmed by the Ukrainian State Committee for Veterinary Medicine as bird flu. The H5N1 strain was discovered at the Lobzenko poultry farm located at the Rivne village.

After health authorities had confirmed the presence of Avian flu, the farm was closed, the village sealed and guards were stationed to ensure the area was quarantined. The Ministry banned the export of birds from the region

The eastern state of West Bengal started on Wednesday the culling of almost 400,000 chickens confirmed to carry the bird flu. To prevent the spread of the flu virus, the Indian government ordered its borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal closed to ensure there will be no cross-border transfer of animals and birds.

Pradip Kumar, Secretary for Animal Husbandry, said the bird flu virus was found in two districts of West Bengal, in Birbhum and Dinajpur. He added, medicines are being distributed all over the state, especially in affected areas

Scientists at Kansas State University fear that migratory birds from the north will mix in the summer breeding grounds and spread avian flu when they fly south for the winter.

The pathogenic strain of avian influenza - also referred to as H5:N1 - has been reported in Southeast Asia and a handful of European countries, but not in the U.S

Another victim of the deadly bird flu virus died in Egypt Sunday, bringing to 17 the total death toll in the country.

The state-run MENA news agency reports that 25-year-old Egyptian woman, who earlier tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu, succumbed to the fatal strain three days after she was admitted to the hospital

China remains baffled on how the bird flu virus was transmitted between its latest victims.

This as the surviving patient, surnamed Lu, 52, was discharged from an undisclosed local hospital on Dec. 26, state-run Xinhua news agency reports