Spain detects its first case of H5N1 bird flu

A Spanish laboratory has confirmed the country's first case of H5N1 bird flu after analyzing a sample taken from a wild migratory water bird, the Agriculture Ministry said on Friday. The dead great crested grebe was found in the northern province of Alava and a sample sent to the National Reference Laboratory on Thursday revealed "high pathogen" H5N1, the ministry said. The government has forbidden transport of poultry or bird hunting within a 3 km (1.8 mile) protection zone round the place where the grebe was found and is monitoring within a 10 km (6.2 mile) radius, the ministry said. "We have reinforced monitoring of the countryside in order to detect any deaths among wild birds as soon as possible," the ministry said.