[Anyone] infectious

[Mike in Taos]

RIYADH - Hundreds of camels have died in Saudi Arabia this week from a 
mystery ailment.

The Agriculture Ministry has said 232 camels died in the space of four days 
in the Dawasir Valley, 400 km (250 miles) south of Riyadh. King Abdullah has 
promised compensation for owners, who say the real number of deaths is far 
higher.

Agriculture ministry officials have denied an infectious disease caused the 
deaths and blamed them on animal feed supplied by food storage authorities.

"The disease has to be limited to one place to prevent it spreading and then 
they have to find a serum," said camel breeder Hamad al-Harthy, who talked 
of hundreds of deaths.

"They need to bring in help from abroad to find a solution," said trader 
Turki Abdelaziz.

Camels are big business in the desert kingdom and are traded by Bedouin 
tribes for thousands of dollars each. The animals are used for racing and 
their meat is also prized.

Authorities have been on the lookout for signs of the deadly H5N1 strain of 
bird flu over the last year. The virus was found in birds in two instances, 
in March and last year.

The Agriculture Ministry has lifted bans on poultry imports.

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Now you can see trouble…before he arrives 
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