The World Health Organization (WHO) will declare Jordan free of the H5N1 bird flu on Thursday as no new cases of the disease have been detected in the country since the first case was discovered 21 days ago, local press reported.

Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit said the government would continue preventive measures against bird flu, and officials of agriculture and health ministries would keep on inspecting poultry farms and domestic coops.

The country's first case of the H5N1 bird flu was diagnosed on March 24 after four turkeys died from the fatal virus in a farm in Kufranjeh area of Ajloun, north of the capital Amman.

The deadly H5N1 strain has killed over 100 people worldwide since its latest outbreak in southeast Asia in late 2003, according to the WHO.

Source: Xinhua