INFORMATION BULLETIN
Date: 29 February 2008
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Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
H5N1 in Canada Goose - 11th case in wild bird
Defra has today confirmed that a Canada goose collected on 25 February in the Wild Bird Monitoring Area in Dorset as part of wild bird surveillance has tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza. The bird was found less than a kilometre from where the previous positive cases in swans were collected.
This is the 11th wild bird with highly pathogenic H5N1 in the area. The previous ten cases were in wild mute swans, with the last case being confirmed on 4 February.
The finding of more cases in wild birds is not unexpected, and Defra’s enhanced surveillance of wild birds in the area is continuing, including active patrols to look for dead wild birds. We are currently considering whether any additional restrictions are necessary in the area.
Poultry keepers in the area are reminded of the need to comply with existing restrictions including 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
Information is available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/avianflu/, or 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.
That experience in Europe has been that singleton cases of HPAI H5N1 have been found in Canada geese in 2006, in France and Sweden. These were associated with the already confirmed isolations in wild birds including mute swans.
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.
All Avian Influenza (H1 to H16) can be low pathogenic but only H5 and H7 are known to become highly pathogenic.
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.
End
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Page published: 29 February 2008 at 14:40