Posted on 02/03/2007 10:59:47 AM PST by blam
Bird flu found on British farm
By Bonnie Malkin and agencies
Last Updated: 5:35pm GMT 03/02/2007
Government vets are investigating an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm after thousands of turkeys died.
Police have cordoned off the farm
Experts were called to a Bernard Matthews site at Holton near Halesworth, Suffolk, late on Thursday following the outbreak of an "unexplained" illness.
Around 2,600 turkeys are thought to have died from the virus.
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said preliminary tests had confirmed a bird flu outbreak.
Later, the EU Commission confirmed the potentially deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu had been found at the farm.
A statement from the EU Commission said: "Samples from the infected establishment were immediately sent to the Community Reference Laboratory in Weybridge, which has this morning swiftly confirmed the disease to be the H5N1 strain of avian influenza.
"Further tests to characterise the virus are under way, in order to ascertain whether or not it is the Asian strain."
This is the first time that H5N1 has been found at a commercial property in the UK.
The H5N1 strain can be fatal if it is passed on to humans and has killed more than 100 people mostly in Asia.
A statement from Defra said a protection zone of 1.8 miles and a surveillance zone of 6.2 miles around the premises was being enforced.
Movement restrictions are being imposed and poultry must be isolated from wild birds.
The farm itself has been under restrictions since Thursday evening.
Defra also announced bird shows and pigeon racing would no longer be permitted, as the national general licence on bird gatherings had been revoked.
Wider restrictions may be imposed in the area, depending on the risks posed to poultry by this outbreak, the department warned.
It is also understood workers at the farm had been offered antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and were wearing protective clothing.
Neil Parish, chairman of the European Parliament's agriculture committee, said there was no need to panic.
Mr Parish, who is the Parliament's leading member on bird flu preparations, was responsible for the contingency plans being enacted by Defra at the site.
He said: "This outbreak has been detected early and action taken swiftly to contain it.
"The EU and Defra have put in place some very stringent procedures to prevent an outbreak from spreading. "Of course we must all be vigilant, but there is absolutely no need for panic or hysteria."
Speaking at a Defra press briefing in London, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Fred Landeg said only one of the 22 turkey houses on the farm in Holton appeared to have been affected, but all birds were being culled. It is understood there are about 159,000 birds at the farm.
The animals had come from a hatchery in the UK, none had been moved off the farm and early indications were that this was a "recent introduction of disease".
He said there were no plans to vaccinate any birds but rather to find the disease and stamp it out.
Officials were investigating whether there was another origin of the avian flu in poultry, or whether it had come from wild birds.
A Bernard Matthews spokesman said: "While Bernard Matthews can confirm that there has been a case of H5N1 avian influenza at its Holton site, it is important to stress that none of the affected birds have entered the food chain and there is no risk to consumers.
"Bernard Matthews is working closely with Defra and other industry bodies to contain the infection. The company meets and in many cases far exceeds Defra's biosecurity standards for combatting avian flu."
It is the second time in less than 12 months that UK-reared poultry has been hit by bird flu.
More than 30,000 birds were slaughtered after chickens near Dereham, Norfolk, tested positive in April.
One worker at the farm caught the disease and was treated for an eye infection.
In March 2006, a wild swan found in Cellardyke, Fife, was found to have the H5N1 strain.
The swan was thought to have caught the disease abroad, died at sea and its body washed to the UK shore.
Francis Thomas, head of communications at Suffolk County Council, said information and advice was available to the public on the council's website at http://www.suffolk.gov.uk.
He said a bird flu helpline had also been set up on 08456 032 814.
Bump.
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