Azerbaijan on Friday confirmed the first case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu on a poultry farm.

"We are taking all measures to fight against bird flu in the affected area of Gilyazi as well as its environs where a complete quarantine has been imposed," Agriculture Minister Ismet Abbassov told reporters.

Wild birds had been found to be infected with the H5N1 strain early last month in Azerbaijan, but this was the first case in domestic fowl. The farm, which lies some 80 km north of the capital Baku, was placed under quarantine Monday and authorities began disposing of dead fowl.

In its most highly pathogenic form, the H5N1 virus has devastated poultry populations and killed at least 92 people, mostly in Asia, since 2003.

The bird flu virus has also been detected in neighboring Georgia and Russia. Enditem