Outbreak of lethal bird flu confirmed in Britain
Thursday, 15 November 2007
LONDON, Nov 14 (AFP): Veterinary authorities confirmed an outbreak of the potentially lethal Asian strain of bird flu in eastern England Tuesday, in a new blow to the British farming industry.
More than 6,000 poultry were ordered to be slaughtered at the site in Suffolk, where an exclusion zone was imposed Monday after a suspected outbreak was found.
"I can now confirm that the strain of avian influenza found in the infected premises is the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 strain," said deputy chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg.
"It is of the Asian lineage. It is closely related to strains of the highly pathogenic avian influenza found this summer in the Czech Republic and in Germany," he added.
On Monday, British officials ordered the slaughter of poultry at the farm, which houses free-range turkeys, ducks and geese, while the Food Standards Agency reassured consumers that poultry meat and eggs were still safe to eat, so long as they were cooked properly.
The cull involves some 5,000 turkeys, more than 1,000 ducks and 500 geese.
More than 6,000 poultry were ordered to be slaughtered at the site in Suffolk, where an exclusion zone was imposed Monday after a suspected outbreak was found.
"I can now confirm that the strain of avian influenza found in the infected premises is the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 strain," said deputy chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg.
"It is of the Asian lineage. It is closely related to strains of the highly pathogenic avian influenza found this summer in the Czech Republic and in Germany," he added.
On Monday, British officials ordered the slaughter of poultry at the farm, which houses free-range turkeys, ducks and geese, while the Food Standards Agency reassured consumers that poultry meat and eggs were still safe to eat, so long as they were cooked properly.
The cull involves some 5,000 turkeys, more than 1,000 ducks and 500 geese.