Glasgow: Dead Swans, " Not Bird Flu "

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Posted on Fri, Apr. 07, 2006

BRITAIN

First case of bird flu confirmed

LONDON - (AP) -- Britain confirmed its first case of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in a wild swan on Thursday, setting the stage for concerns the disease could spread across the Atlantic.

The swan was found in the Scottish town of Cellardyke, more than 450 miles north of London, according to Scotland's chief veterinary officer, Charles Milne. Health officials said the case poses no serious risks to public health but the government began restricting poultry movement and implementing a 965-square-mile ''wild bird risk area'' around the site where the infected swan was found.

The deadly virus has not been found in domestic British poultry, although an imported parrot from Suriname died in quarantine from the strain last year.

At least 109 people have died from bird flu since a wave of outbreaks of the H5N1 strain swept through Asian poultry in late 2003, the World Health Organization said Thursday. Virtually all were infected through contact with poultry. Officials said there was less of a risk in Britain where people have minimal contact with birds compared with Asia, and even less in sparsely populated Scotland.

Two swans found dead in the Scottish city of Glasgow, 400 miles north of London, are among 14 being tested for HN51. However, preliminary tests indicate the birds died from diseases not related to bird flu, a Scottish parliament spokesman said.

Poultry farmers within the risk area will be required to bring their flocks indoors.

http://za.today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-07T070025Z_01_ALL725158_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-BIRDFLU-20060407.XML

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Glasgow: Dead Swans, " Not Bird Flu " Posted: April 07 2006 at 12:35am
	Posted on Fri, Apr. 07, 2006 BRITAIN First case of bird flu confirmed LONDON - (AP) -- Britain confirmed its first case of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in a wild swan on Thursday, setting the stage for concerns the disease could spread across the Atlantic. The swan was found in the Scottish town of Cellardyke, more than 450 miles north of London, according to Scotland's chief veterinary officer, Charles Milne. Health officials said the case poses no serious risks to public health but the government began restricting poultry movement and implementing a 965-square-mile ''wild bird risk area'' around the site where the infected swan was found. The deadly virus has not been found in domestic British poultry, although an imported parrot from Suriname died in quarantine from the strain last year. At least 109 people have died from bird flu since a wave of outbreaks of the H5N1 strain swept through Asian poultry in late 2003, the World Health Organization said Thursday. Virtually all were infected through contact with poultry. Officials said there was less of a risk in Britain where people have minimal contact with birds compared with Asia, and even less in sparsely populated Scotland. Two swans found dead in the Scottish city of Glasgow, 400 miles north of London, are among 14 being tested for HN51. However, preliminary tests indicate the birds died from diseases not related to bird flu, a Scottish parliament spokesman said. Poultry farmers within the risk area will be required to bring their flocks indoors. http://za.today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-07T070025Z_01_ALL725158_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-BIRDFLU-20060407.XML

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 07 2006 at 12:40am
	Date: 06/04/2006 10:03:23 Source: Local Authority AVIAN FLU - LIMITED PRECAUTIONARY CLOSURES OF GLASGOW PARKS Glasgow City Council is to close a number of parks and open spaces which contain large numbers of wild fowl in response to the possible confirmation of an outbreak of avian influenza in eastern Scotland. It should be stressed that there have been no confirmed or suspected cases of highly pathogenic 'bird flu' detected in wild fowl in the Glasgow area. The temporary closure of Victoria, Richmond, Queens, Springburn and Alexandra Parks, as well as Bingham's Pond and Hogganfield Loch, will be continually reviewed. Other parks and open spaces may be added to the precautionary closure list. A spokesman for the council said: �These are simply precautionary measures, with absolutely no risk to the public or wider poultry industry. This is a prudent step to take while there is a risk that highly pathogenic avian influenza has reached Scotland. �We would urge anyone who finds a dead or injured bird not to handle the animal, but to inform the relevant authorities.� If you find a dead swan, goose or duck or three or more dead wild, or garden birds together in the same place, report this to Defra, via the helpline on 08459 33 55 77, as they may wish to have the birds examined for signs of specific diseases. They will advise you on what action you should take. This is in the same way that Fife Council offered support in other major incidents for instance foot and mouth disease. Fraser Thomson, head of environmental services, said: "Our main role will be monitor animal movements and to help enforce the exclusion zones." Anyone needing more information should call DEFRA on 08459 33 55 77. Further information and questions and answers on the issue will be available through the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk. Fife Council's website www.fifedirect.org.uk will also be updated with news when it is available. Press release from the Scottish Executive follows. Bird flu in dead swan in Fife Scotland's Chief Veterinary Officer today said there was no indication of infection in domestic poultry after the bird flu virus was found in a dead mute swan in Fife. Charles Milne said surveillance was continuing within the 10 km zone set up round Cellardyke Harbour near Anstruther, with movement restrictions placed on all poultry and poultry products within a 3 km protection zone. Preliminary tests have found highly pathogenic H5 avian flu in a sample from the swan, the first case of its kind in Britain. The exact strain of the virus will be known later today. If it is the H5N1 strain restrictions will continue and may be increased. If it is another strain they will be lifted. Mr Milne said if other dead wild birds were found in the area they would be sent for laboratory tests. The public should not pick up any dead birds but should instead report them to the police or through a special hotline - 08459 33 55 77. He said the unringed swan had been reported on March 29 and collected the next day. It arrived at laboratories in Weybridge in Surrey on March 31 and preliminary results showing the H5 virus were first known on April 5. Mr Milne confirmed that the dead swan had been partially eaten by predators, but there was no evidence to suggest domestic animals were involved. The protection measures included advice on pets. He said the countryside remained open and there was no need for the public to restrict their movements. Bird flu hotline 08459 33 55 77 Later an Executive spokesperson said: "This is a serious development but one we have prepared and planned for. Environment Minister Ross Finnie is clearly leading our response, in line with those plans. Ministers from the Cabinet group on Civil Contingencies will be meeting for an initial briefing. "There will also be a meeting of officials in London later today to discuss the obvious implications for the whole of the UK. Scottish Executive officials will be a key part of that meeting. It is very important that UK administrations work closely together in partnership on this - and again that has always been the planned approach." http://www.lgcnet.com/pages/news/article.asp?ArticleID=335714

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	Scottish Map http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4880000/newsid_4886100/4886160.stm Edited by Rick - April 07 2006 at 1:06am

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	7 April 2006 EXCERPT IT'LL BE HERE FOR YEARS BIRD FLU IN SCOTLAND POULTRY FARMING But industry will survive long-term battle with virus, says professor "VIRUS expert Professor Hugh Pennington yesterday warned the British poultry industry they would have to learn to live with bird flu for years to come. But the world-renowned microbiologist said the virus would not see a repeat of the foot and mouth funeral pyres smoking all over the country. He called for poultry workers to be inoculated against the H5N1 strain found at Cellardyke in Fife - but advised against the mass vaccination of birds. Pennington's forecast came as Fife chicken farmer Donald Peddie claimed the poultry industry should have been told of the outbreak sooner than seven days after the infected swan's discovery. There are almost 15million chickens in Scotland - two-thirds of them bred for human consumption." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16914503%26method=full%26siteid=66633%26headline=it%2dll%2dbe%2dhere%2dfor%2dyears-name_page.html Edited by Rick - April 07 2006 at 2:15am