Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker said that unless there was a calm response to the outbreak of avian flu it would be difficult to overcome the problem.

The minister said authorities have started culling poultry in the affected region soon after the first reports of birds being infected with the virus on December 16 in the township of Aralik in the province of Igdir. He said that the avian influenza virus was confirmed on December 26 and process of destruction and disinfection in the region had continued since that date.

On Thursday, six more persons from Aralik were hospitalised with symptoms similar to those of avian flu. The Van University hospital has confirmed three cases of bird flu and two teenagers ahving died of the virus, the latest, a 15 year old girl, passing away Thursday morning. The hospital said that three patients were in critical health.

In total, six people in Igdir and nine in Van have been hospitalised, with seven of those in van being children.