Council services
Bird Flu
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Avian Influenza - AI - has spread from South East Asia through Russia and Kazakhstan and the borders of Europe. The strain identified as H5N1 has affected both wild and domestic birds.
Human concern
There is global concern that the current occurrence of the disease in Asia may lead to a human pandemic if the virus mutates to a form that would be highly infectious to mankind.
Statement from the World Health Organisation
The World Health Organisation - WHO - has appealed for calm over fears of a possible spread of the virus to humans.
Dick Thompson, WHO spokesman, said:
"Bird flu is a very difficult disease to transmit from animals to humans. It does happen, but it happens very rarely. Direct contact with infected poultry or surfaces and objects contaminated by their droppings is considered the main route of human infection. There is no evidence that properly cooked poultry or poultry products can be a source of infection."
As of 30 June 2008, 385 people have also caught the infection, as a result of close and direct contact with infected birds. Two hundred and forty-three of these have subsequently died. Most of those who have died are understood to have been poultry farmers who contracted the disease directly from the birds. This brief provides an overview of the disease, highlighting some key facts and the initial steps that need to be taken to ensure that the UK remains free of avian influenza in the future.
Advice
Avian flu is still a disease of birds. The virus has not mutated into a form which is highly infectious to man. Poultry keepers are advised to take precautionary biosecurity measures and to try and keep their poultry away from waterways that could be frequented by migratory waterfowl.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - DEFRA - has advised that rapid detection and an immediate response to control the disease are important to ensure that the disease is isolated as soon as possible, should it arrive in the UK.
Things to look out for
- A dramatic local incident i.e. large numbers of dead, dying or sick birds
- Do not go near the birds but immediately phone the DEFRA hotline on: 08459 33 55 77
Read about the risks related to bird flu and pandemic influenza on the Department of health website.
Further details can be found at:
