The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on Wednesday said the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported three cases of the outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5 bird flu among poultry in the country.

According to a report from the Congolese Agriculture Ministry, the virus was detected among ducks and hens in three villages in the north eastern province of Ituri, near the border with Uganda.

The OIE also revealed that the H5N8 strain of the deadly flu was already present in Uganda, but did not specify the type of H5 flu strain that was detected in DR Congo.