Bird Flu in 10 Provinces

The Iran Veterinary Organization said that the N5H8 virus earlier detected in seven provinces has now spread to 10-12 provinces across the country.

However, the organization only released the names of eight provinces: Markazi, Alborz, Qom, East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Mazandaran and Tehran, where cases of the dangerous strain of avian influenza were reported.

The National Headquarters to Fight Bird Flu met on Wednesday for a third time in the past month to discuss the situation. A high-level meeting was held earlier on Sunday attended by first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri, four ministers, and heads of IVO, Department of Environment, Law Enforcement Forces, and Management and Planning Organization. Iran has culled hundreds of thousands of birds in recent weeks as avian flu spread across seven provinces, according to local news outlets.