News

   

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Ref: 31/08
Date: 1 February 2008

Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960

Avian influenza update: two further swans positive for H5N1

Defra has today confirmed that another two dead wild mute swans, collected on 28 January as part of wild bird surveillance in the same area in Dorset have tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza. 

This brings the total number of swans confirmed with H5N1 on the site to nine.  From today, any further new cases will be published on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/avianflu.  Further cases in the coming weeks would not be unexpected. 

As described in the recent epidemiology report, evidence suggests that the level of infection in the mute swan population is low, and there remains no evidence of spread to other wild birds or domestic poultry.

Defra is continuing to keep the disease risk to domestic poultry and control measures under review and will be assessing options for any changes to the current restrictions in place, should evidence continue to point to a low level of infection confined to the mute swan population.

Poultry keepers in the area are reminded of the requirement to house or otherwise keep separate their birds from wild birds, and remain vigilant for signs of disease, reporting any suspicions immediately.  Our enhanced surveillance of wild birds in the area is continuing including active patrols to look for dead wild birds.

Further information

  1. Information is available from the Defra Helpline (08459 33 55 77) - see www.defra.gov.uk for current opening hours.  Bird keepers can also call the Animal Health recorded information line for the latest updates on 0844 884 4600.
  2. Avian Influenza is a disease of birds. While it can pass very rarely and with difficulty to humans, this usually 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.
  3. All Avian Influenza (H1 to H16) can be low pathogenic but only H5 and H7 are known to become highly pathogenic.
  4. All poultry keepers registered with the GB Poultry Register will be contacted by text message with updates. All poultry keepers responsible for a premises with 50 or more birds are legally required to register. Defra strongly encourages those with less than 50 birds to register voluntarily.
  5. The details on the measures that apply in the current zones can be found on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/avianflu/

End

Public enquiries: 08459 335577
News releases available on our website:
www.defra.gov.uk
Defra's aim is sustainable development

Page published: 1 February 2008 13:13

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs