Swan dead with H5N1 infection found in Scotland

Swan dead with H5N1 infection found in Scotland

	Published : Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:05 By : Cedric Benson Print this Story

LONDON: A suspected case of H5 strain of avian influenza virus has been detected in Britain, the government announced Wednesday. A dead swan in Scotland had the infection from the virus, the department for environment, food and rural affairs said in a statement.

The department said more tests for the deadly H5N1 strain are now under way and a three-kilometre exclusion zone has been created round Fife in eastern Scotland, where the dead swan was found. A 10-kilometre surveillance zone has also been created.

A spokesperson for the department said a high state of alert has been sounded. All owners of birds within the zone have been directed to take their birds indoors.

The department also said measures to curb the movement of poultry, eggs and poultry products from these zones will be brought into effect immediately.

Chief veterinary officer of Scotland Charles Milne said bird keepers outside the protection zone should redouble their efforts to prepare for bringing their birds indoors if that becomes necessary. They have also been told to review their biosecurity measures.

If the tests confirm the presence of the lethal H5N1 strain in the dead bird, the U.K. will be the 13th country in the 25-member EU to have the virus in birds.

Scotland's National Farmers Union said the fact that the virus was found in a wild bird gives some comfort. The union's deputy chief executive James Withers said there is no evidence of the disease in the farmed population. The union has given a national order to bring all poultry inside.

The Scottish poultry industry produces 127,000 tones of meat and 740 million eggs a year.

The H5N1 strain has already been detected in France, Denmark, Switzerland, Poland, Serbia-Montenegro and Albania.

The virus has so far caused deaths of more than 100 humans worldwide, most of them directly involved with poultry. However, experts fear if the virus mutates with ability for human-to-human infection, there could be a pandemic.