Sweden confirms bird flu in ducks

The tests confirmed Sweden's first cases of H5N1

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has been discovered in two wild ducks found dead in Sweden.

The presence of the virus was confirmed by the European Union's reference laboratory in the UK.

It is the Scandinavian country's first case of H5N1, which has killed at least 95 people since 2003, mostly in Asia.

Denmark has confirmed its first case of bird flu in a wild bird and tests are being carried out to see if it is also the H5N1 strain.

The Swedish cases were found in two wild ducks found dead in Oskarshamn, on the south-eastern coast, at the end of February.

Since then, further cases of the H5 subtype have been found in wild birds. Tests continue to determine whether they are H5N1.

There are no reports of bird flu in domestic fowl.

The H5N1 virus can be caught by humans who handle infected birds, but it is not yet known to have passed from one person to another.

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However, experts fear the virus could mutate to gain this ability, and in its new form trigger a flu pandemic that could kill millions.

It has been found in a number of European countries - from Greece to France.

The strain has also been found in cats in Austria and Germany.