Ukraine has first outbreak of bird flu

KIEV, Ukraine – Ukraine recorded its first bird flu outbreak Saturday, prompting the president to declare an emergency in four villages where more than 1,600 chickens and geese have died of the disease.

Birds found dead over the past two months in the Black Sea peninsula tested positive for the H5 subtype virus, officials said. Bird flu was detected in neighboring Romania nearly two months ago, and Ukrainian officials had scrambled to reassure this nation of 47 million people that they were well-prepared.