Bird flu has been confirmed in dead birds in 11 Crimean villages, Ukraine health officials announced Wednesday. Ukraine recorded its first case of bird flu Dec. 4 after some 2,500 birds died on the Black Sea peninsula. The area affected is covered by marshy wetlands where many birds congregate, Moscow News reported. Russian tests had earlier confirmed the H5N1 virus in the dead birds, but the Ukraine government waited for a second confirmation from a British lab before making the announcement. Since 2003, the virus has killed at least 69 people in Southeast Asia, mostly farm workers who came into close contact with infected birds. The World Health Organization is concerned the virus could mutate and become easily spread among humans. © Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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