Workers at Kibbutz Kerem Shalom in the south were expected to complete on Sunday morning the destruction and disposal of some 20,000 fowl infected with bird flu. Kibbutz Kerem Shalom began culling its 20,000 turkeys on Friday after the deadly bird flu virus was positively identified there earlier in the day.

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The kibbutz is located near Kibbutz Holit, one of the first kibbutzim in which the lethal strain was positively identified two weeks ago. Just on Wednesday the lethal strain was discovered in the Jerusalem-area kibbutz of Ma'aleh Hahamisha, and over the weekend the kibbutz's flock was culled, Army Radio reported. Last week, sources in the Ministry of Agriculture asserted that the virus had been eradicated from Israel, with Agriculture Minister Ze'ev Boim noting that Israel took action more quickly than other countries in the world faced with a flu outbreak. Briefing the cabinet on how Israel combated the flu, he said that in nine days some 1.2 million poultry from 53 chicken farms in 14 different communities were destroyed and buried.

Kerem Shalom culls turkey flocks

Bird flu identified last week at Kibbutz Ma'aleh Hahamisha; culling completed.