PRAGUE (Reuters) – Slovakia detected its second case of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus at a farm in the west of the country, the Agriculture Ministry said on Monday.

Bird flu cases have appeared in the four central European countries of Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic since the end of last year.

Slovakia reported its first outbreak earlier this month, also in the western part of the country.

The latest case affected a flock of 19 hens raised for eggs that were not destined to be sold to the public, the ministry said.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet, editing by Louise Heavens)

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