Avian Influenza (Bird flu)
Latest Situation
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10 January 2008 - Defra[External
website] has today confirmed Avian Influenza in three dead wild
mute swans in the Chesil Beach area in Dorset, following positive test
results from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency for the highly pathogenic
strain of H5N1. These birds were found and tested following our routine
surveillance programme.
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For full details and latest situation updates please vist the
DEFRA website[External website]
Description of the Risk:
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Avian influenza is a distinct type of influenza which is
not seasonal flu (i.e. standard flu, the type which
affects the population as a matter of course, and which occurs every year
during the winter). Nor is it a human flu pandemic. Click here for more
information on the risk of a human flu pandemic.
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Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a flu virus which affects birds. In some
limited circumstances - essentially where there is close contact with
birds - it can affect other animals (such as pigs) and humans. There are
many strains of avian influenza viruses, which vary in their ability to
cause disease. There is currently an increased global spread of the H5N1
virus type of avian influenza in poultry and wild birds, with the
majority of cases in Asia but increasingly also in Europe and Africa.
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Despite these recent cases of avian influenza, the evidence suggests that
the H5N1 strain does not pass easily from birds to people. People can
become infected but rarely are. Where they have caught H5N1 it is because
of close and prolonged contact with infected poultry. There is no
confirmed evidence that H5N1 has acquired the ability to pass easily from
person to person.
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The most severe form of avian influenza (highly pathogenic) is a
notifiable animal disease which was last confirmed in the United Kingdom
in 1991, in a flock of turkeys in Norfolk. This was caused by H5N1 virus
and was quickly stamped out.
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There is always a low risk that any avian influenza virus may be
introduced to the UK via trade in live poultry and their products and
migratory birds. Illegal imports are another possible route. Defra
makes regular assessments of the risk from avian influenza, and
international animal health measures are in place to reduce the risk of
import from the poultry trade.
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Information and Guidance for the Public:
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FCO: Avian and
Pandemic Influenza: factsheet for British nationals travelling or
resident overseas
[External website]
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The Scottish and UK Chief Veterinary Officers have emphasised that there
is no reason for public health concern; avian influenza is a disease of
birds and whilst it can pass to humans very rarely and with difficulty,
this requires extremely close contact with infected birds, particularly
faeces.
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Advice from the Food
Standards Agency[External website] remains that
properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to
eat.
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If you need to report groups of dead birds, or need advice on avian flu,
please contact the Defra Helpline (08459 33 55 77) and choose the
Avian Influenza option which is open from 9am - 5pm, Monday -
Friday. Defra has issued
Guidance on handling and disposing of dead garden and wild
birds[External website].
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On 9th July, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) prepared a
risk assessment on the risk from avian influenza to visitors to public
parks and open waters. The report concludes that there is no excess
risk to visitors and that there should be no restrictions on park
visiting. [External PDF, 70KB, 10 pages]
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Further information can be found on the Defra website[External
website].
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Government Planning and Response:
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Defra
[External
website] is the lead department for animal diseases, including
avian influenza, in England. Animal disease is a largely devolved matter,
with responsibility sitting with the devolved administrations - the Scottish Executive[External
website], Welsh Assembly
Government[External website] and Northern Ireland
departments[External website]. Defra and the devolved
administrations work very closely together.
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Defra have produced an
updated and revised strategy[External website]
(18/09/06) to screen wild birds for the presence of highly
pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was announced today. Defra's targeted
surveillance strategy will involve sampling for the disease in areas
which have higher numbers of migrating waterfowl and larger poultry
populations.
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Defra keep the need for new controls on poultry under constant review.
Meanwhile they have issued
extensive guidance to bird keepers on biosecurity
measures[External website] to protect their birds from
avian influenza. It is crucial that keepers follow these measures, and if
they keep their birds outdoors they need to have a clear plan for housing
them in an outbreak if this is considered necessary. We also ask members
of the public to report to the Defra helpline (08459 33 55
77) any unusual wild bird deaths.
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Defra held an Exercise during April 2006 -
Exercise Hawthorn[External website] - to test response
to an Avian Influenza outbreak.
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The Government continues to work closely with ornithological and
meteorological experts and other stakeholders.
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We are taking a lead role in international initiatives to coordinate
action on avian influenza.
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The EU has introduced a temporary ban until the end of July (subject to
review) on imports of captive (wild) birds into the EU from other
countries.
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Defra is prepared for high pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in UK
poultry. A full contingency plan is in place to tackle the disease. We
have already used this contingency plan recently for the Newcastle
Disease outbreak last year. The key to effective disease control is early
detection and rapid response.
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We have eradicated previous outbreaks of high pathogenic avian influenza
successfully in domestic birds.
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Recent Cases:
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13 November 2007 - Following further test results from
the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) the Acting Chief Veterinary
Officer has confirmed that the strain of Avian Influenza present at the
Infected Premises near Diss is the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain.
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19 November 2007 - Laboratory test results have today
confirmed H5N1 Avian Influenza in turkeys at one of the Dangerous Contact
premises. These premises were confirmed as a Dangerous Contact, and
culling was completed on 17th November. On clinical inspection the flock
appeared healthy which indicates the infection was in its early stages.
As a result of confirming disease this now becomes the second Infected
Premises. A 3km radius Protection Zone is being placed around the
premises on the Norfolk-Suffolk border and the existing Surveillance Zone
is being extended.
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19 December 2007 - As of 11.00am, the Surveillance and Restriction Zones
will be lifted, and all related restrictions on bird gatherings and
movements of poultry and poultry meat within the zones will also lift.
This follows expert consideration of surveillance and tracing
resultswhich indicate that infection has been contained to the two
premises in Suffolk.
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7th June 2007
Tests have provided
positive results for low pathogenic avian
influenza [External website] in poultry on a
non-commercial small holding near St Helens, Merseyside, England. Birds
at the holding were purchased from the same market held in Chelford on
Monday 7th May associated with the recent outbreak of H7N2 low pathogenic
avian influenza in Conwy, North Wales.
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On 3rd July, the Declaration made on 7th June was revoked and all
restrictions around the premises were lifted.
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Secondary cleansing and disinfection was completed on Friday 6 July.
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23rd May 2007 A case of H7N2
low pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in Corwen, Conwy, North
Wales. [External website]
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On 15th June, the Declaration made on 24th May was revoked and all
restrictions around the premises were lifted.
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A full epidemiological investigation is underway to determine the source
of this outbreak. Animal Health are carrying out inspections on all the
infected and suspect premises as well as tracing all poultry movements
and other relevant contacts onto and off the premises.
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The
Health Protection Agency [External website] is
providing expert support and advice to the National
Public Health Service for Wales [External
website] . The Agency has carried out tests on specimens from
nine people associated with the incident; seven are from Wales and two
were from north west England. Four of the test results were positive -
two of these were from Wales and two were from north west England. The
remaining five test results came back as negative. However because these
five cases were associated with the birds and had a compatible illness,
they are being treated as a precaution.
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Frequently asked questions regarding H7N2 in Corwen,
Wales [External website]
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February 2007 -
H5N1 High Pathogenic Avian Influenza in poultry, Upper Holton,
Suffolk[External website]. On Saturday 3 February
2007, highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was confirmed on a poultry
farm in Holton, Suffolk. A 3 km Protection Zone and 10 km Surveillance
Zone were imposed along with a wider Restricted Zone. Following the
appropriate testing and response measures, and no further cases,
restrictions around the farm were lifted on 12 March 2007.
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Further information on these recent cases is available via the
Defra website [External website].
Further Information
For more detailed information click here to go to the avian
influenza page on the Defra website [External
website].
For more background information, go to the Animal and
Plant Diseases section of this site.
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