Azeri bird flu girls discharged as outbreak eases

According to Reuters, the two girls from the same family were treated in hospital last month with suspected H5N1 bird flu, diagnoses confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Azerbaijan's Health Ministry is waiting for results of tests at a British laboratory on samples taken as a precaution from 43 people who had complained of serious cold-like symptoms in recent weeks.

"There have been no further approaches from the population and we are awaiting the results on the 43 people," Health Ministry spokeswoman Samaya Mamedova said.

"At the present time in Baku, there are no patients suffering from bird flu or with suspected bird flu."

The WHO said on Tuesday that tests had found that the elder girl had the H5N1 strain of bird flu, but she had fully recovered and already been discharged.

That case takes the total confirmed bird flu cases in Azerbaijan to eight, five of which were fatal.