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The publication today of the final epidemiology report into the Avian Influenza outbreak in Suffolk confirmed that the probable cause of infection was through imported meat products from Hungary. 

The RSPB is disappointed that the Bernard Matthews Company has used this report to call for further monitoring of wild birds, which have been exonerated as a vector in this outbreak.

In making such a call, the company opens the question of who should pay for even the current surveillance measures. The RSPB, along with other conservation charities, have been undertaking wild bird surveillance since the autumn of 2005. 

'The cost to the RSPB alone has been £170,000. The company stands to receive almost £600,000 in compensation while conservation charities shoulder the burden of surveillance with no cost to the poultry industry or DEFRA,' said Dr. Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Director of Conservation.

'Calling for more work without acknowledging their readiness to contribute to the costs of a scheme designed to protect their industry reveals a worrying state of denial within the industry.'

The Government is developing its investigation into the cause of the outbreak of avian influenza in the Suffolk poultry farm, following preliminary scientific tests showing the viruses in Suffolk and recent outbreaks in Hungary may well be identical. Imported turkey meat from Hungary to a processing plant next to the farm in Suffolk is being considered as a possible route of infection.

Deputy Chief Vet Fred Landeg said 'the virus has probably come directly from Hungary to the UK and not via migratory birds,' he said. 'With other evidence it is looking like that [turkey imports] is the most probable route at the moment.'

The Government has confirmed that a case of avian influenza at a turkey farm in Suffolk was caused by the H5N1 virus. It is still unclear how the turkeys became infected with the virus. The RSPB is continuing to provide assistance and help to Defra as the situation develops and will be increasing its surveillance at nearby reserves in response. The risk to human health remains extremely low and there are currently no cases in wild birds.

For more information, please see http://www.defra.gov.uk/

The first outbreak of bird flu in the Europe this year was confirmed on Wednesday 25th January, after the EU Commission said the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain had been found in dead geese in Hungary. Tests were carried out for bird flu after an abnormally high mortality rate was reported in a flock of domestic geese. All of the remaining flock were culled.

An updated and revised strategy to screen wild birds for the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been announced. The strategy has been developed by Defra in partnership with the devolved administrations.

Defra's targeted surveillance strategy will involve sampling for the disease in areas which have higher numbers of migrating waterfowl and larger poultry populations.

The programme, being introduced in time for the autumn migration of water birds from more northerly latitudes, will have three main elements:

• Testing of live birds (which are then released);
• Testing shot birds (shot as part of normal legal wild fowling activities); and
• Testing certain species of dead wild birds found in designated areas.

Species thought to be a greater risk for introducing avian flu, in particular ducks, geese, swans, gulls and waders, will be targeted.

For more information go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2006/060918a.htm

In a report published today, Defra confirmed two further cases of low-pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza in free-range poultry in Norfolk. Both flocks were owned by the same farmer and comprised 8,000 chickens each. They have now been culled.

It is clear that the infection at these two farms pre-dates that at the intensive broiler plant where the virus was first diagnosed on 27 April. All three farms are within 3 km of each other.

The free range flocks were housed, fed and watered in barns but allowed outside access during daylight. This means that wild birds cannot be ruled out as the origin of the original infection.

However, it is not clear how the infection entered the intensive broiler production plant, which operated biosecurity measures to prevent infection getting in. There is some evidence that the virus has increased in its pathogenicity (its ability to cause serious disease) to poultry, as it has spread amongst the domestic flocks, though further test results are awaited to confirm this.

One worker at the broiler plant has developed conjunctivitis as a result of contracting the virus. Defra states that the virus in its current form has only extremely limited implications for human health.

Defra are maintaining livestock movement controls within 1 km or each of the farms and continuing to conduct surveillance of poultry flocks in the area.

It is believed that most highly pathogenic avian influenzas evolve in domestic poultry from low pathogenic strains introduced from wild birds. The pattern of infection in this case seems to fit this theory.

No further cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 have been discovered in the UK since the single whooper swan in Fife on 5 April.

There are no restrictions on access to the countryside or feeding garden birds as a result of this recent development, and no reason for alarm.

The government has announced an outbreak of bird flu on a chicken farm in Dereham, Norfolk.  

Current information from Defra suggests that this is an H7 virus, and that it is likely to be a low pathogenicity form of the disease. If so, it is a different disease to the H5N1 virus found in the dead whooper swan at Cellardyke. Low pathogenicity would mean that it will not be as virulent as a high pathogenicity virus. There have been no reports of the disease affecting any wild bird and the source of the infection is apparently unknown. 

Confirmation of the strain type is expected within the next 24 hours.  

A number of chickens have died, and the affected flock is to be slaughtered, in accordance with the government’s strategy for the control of a notifiable disease in poultry. Strict biosecurity measures have been implemented on the farm and movement restrictions will be imposed in the immediate vicinity of the incident, dependent on further test results to type the virus. 

Government officials today confirmed that the H5N1 positive swan discovered in Cellardyke, Scotland was a whooper swan, not as previously thought a mute swan.

Initial identification had been hampered by the advanced state of decay of the carcass and the species was only confirmed through DNA profiling.

Whooper swans are migratory. The Icelandic breeding population winters in north-west Europe, including Britain and Ireland, the Low Countries and the Baltic. H5N1 has been confirmed in several whooper swans in the Baltic during February and March.

It seems plausible that the bird found in Scotland may have originated in this region and was attempting to migrate back to Iceland to breed, before becoming too sick to continue and alighting on the sea.

If this is the case, then it may be an isolated incident. However, it would be wise at this stage, not to dismiss the alternative theory that the swan was wintering in the UK (either in Fife or elsewhere) and contracted the virus locally from another species of waterfowl.

For this reason, the current restrictions should be kept in place and further surveillance of wild birds carried out.

The Scottish Executive has now set up a 3km 'protection zone' around Cellardyke, where the dead swan was found, and a 10 km 'surveillance zone' around that. The Scottish Executive have also set up a 2,500 sq km ‘wild bird risk area’, stretching along the East coast, around the site of the outbreak. Within these three areas, all poultry are to be brought indoors, and there will be increased surveillance of wild bird populations.

This ‘wild bird risk area’ includes our Vane Farm, Strathbeg and Loch of Kinnordy Nature Reserves. In the light of recent events in the area, the RSPB is carrying out daily surveillance of these reserves. All our nature reserves remain open, and they are still welcoming visitors – there is no need to stop visiting the countryside.

After the dramatic news of H5N1 being detected in the UK, many people are understandably alarmed if they find a dead bird. If you do find a sick or dead bird, the following advice has been issued by Defra: If you find one or more dead swans/wild fowl (ducks and geese); more than 3 dead birds of the same species or more than 5 dead birds of different species, in the same place, you should contact the Defra Helpline (08459 33 55 77). 

Currently the Helpline is available between the following hours Monday - Friday 6 am to 10 pm and Saturday - Sunday 6 am to 10 pm. You will be asked for details of your finding and its location. If the dead bird is a single, small garden, or wild bird then you do not need to call Defra. 

Please see 'The bird breeding season begins' and 'Your questions answered' for more information by clicking on the links to the left.

Government sources confirmed today that the virus isolated from the dead swan in Fife, east Scotland was the Highly Pathogenic H5N1 type.

It is stressed that this is a disease of birds and it is extremely difficult for humans to contract it. Nevertheless, you are advised not to touch any sick or dead birds. It is extremely unlikely that avian influenza could be transmitted to people by feeding birds in the garden, but observing sensible hygiene measures is always recommended.

The countryside remains open and you are urged to continue to enjoy its scenery and wildlife.

The Government has announced that Highly Pathogenic H5 avian influenza was confirmed in the UK on 5 April 2006. Confirmation of the 'N' type is expected shortly. The virus was detected in a dead mute swan near Anstruther in Fife, East Scotland.

This discovery was not unexpected, especially after the severe weather movements of birds from the Baltic region in the week beginning 13 February, which brought the virus to many European countries. It is not clear whether the swan brought the infection from a prior infected country and died soon after arrival, in which case this may be an isolated incident, or whether a different species of bird carried the infection to Scotland and the swan contracted the virus locally (in which case more cases might be anticipated).

The risk to human health remains extremely low. Wild birds are not spreading pandemic influenza. The virus in its current for is difficult for humans to contract from birds. Of just over 190 human cases recorded worldwide, only one may have been associated with wild birds.

Nevertheless, if you come across the carcass of a wild bird, you should not touch it, but report it to the Defra helpline (England Scotland & Wales) on 08459 335577 or the DARD helpline (Northern Ireland) on 02890 525618.

The public should continue to enjoy the countryside and its birds.

Movement controls of poultry have been put in place within the Government declared 3 km protection and 10 km surveillance zone around the outbreak. The RSPB will be carrying out daily surveillance of reserves closest to the outbreak, but all nature reserves remain open, and they are still welcoming visitors – there is no need to stop visiting the countryside. There is a good chance of keeping the disease out of poultry, provided poultry owners are responsible and follow the Defra guidelines on biosecurity and movements.

The RSPB will continue to monitor the situation and participate in the Government’s surveillance strategy and contingency plan. There is no reason to stop feeding garden birds but as always, good hygiene should be followed. This includes washing your hands thoroughly after filling or cleaning bird feeders, hand-feeding pigeons or ducks, or if you come into contact with bird droppings.

Spring migrants are arriving in the UK, and the breeding season is getting underway. The RSPB, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust are issuing clear advice to inform the public, and to counter some of the concerns that have understandably developed as a result of the coverage of the spread of bird flu (H5N1) in recent weeks. Knowing the facts will help to reassure those who enjoy feeding birds.

This page will keep you up-to-date with the movement of bird flu and how it affects the UK.

As of today (16 March 2006) the unusually virulent strain of avian influenza known as H5N1 has spread to Europe from south-east Asia. There have been numerous outbreaks, mainly in poultry, in a number of countries in Asia and Africa. Since mid-February, there have been a number of cases in wild birds in the EU, predominantly mute swans.

The RSPB is working with BirdLife International, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, the British Trust for Ornithology, Defra and others to evaluate the risk on an ongoing basis.

No cases of H5N1 avian influenza have been identified in Britain so far, though there is a slim chance that it is present but remains undetected.