NEWS RELEASE
Date: 12 November 2007
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Avian Influenza H5 confirmed in Suffolk
Defra has today confirmed Avian Influenza in turkeys on a premises near Diss on the Norfolk/Suffolk border after preliminary tests were positive for the H5 strain. The premises also contain ducks and geese. All birds on the premises will be slaughtered.
Full confirmation of results, including whether or not this is H5N1 and whether the strain is high or low pathogenic will follow.
A 3km Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone are being established around the Infected Premises. Inside these zones bird movements will be restricted and all birds must be housed or otherwise isolated from contact with wild birds. We are also urgently considering with ornithological and other experts what wider measures may be needed.
All poultry keepers on the GB Poultry Register will be notified, and the EU Commission has been informed.
Notes to editors
1. Avian Influenza is a disease of birds. Whilst it can pass very rarely and with difficulty to humans, this requires extremely close contact with infected birds, particularly faeces. Advice from the Food Standards Agency remains that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.
2. All avian influenzas (H1 to H16) can be low pathogenic but only H5 and H7 are known to become highly pathogenic.
3. For further information, please visit the avian influenza pages on the Defra website: www.defra.gov.uk/avianflu
End
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Page published: 12 November 2007 16:15