Ireland confirms bird flu case, carrying out tests

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland has found the H5N8 bird flu strain in a wild duck in the south eastern town of Wexford, the agriculture department said on Friday.

Several European countries have found cases of H5N8 bird flu in recent weeks and Ireland ordered poultry flocks be kept indoors last week after an outbreak was confirmed in Britain.

Further tests are being carried out to determine whether the virus is the same highly pathogenic strain that is currently present in Britain and mainland Europe, the department said, adding that results would be available by mid next week.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; editing by Jason Neely)