Bird flu found in wild swans
Thursday, 10 Jan 2008 21:00
Bird flu confirmed in three dead wild mute swans in Dorset
Bird flu has been found in three dead wild mute swans in Dorset, the government has announced.
Tests have confirmed the presence of the highly-pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain in the dead swans, which were found at the Chesil Beach area in the Abbotsbury Swannery.
More than 1,000 wild mute swans are at the swannery, one of Dorset's major tourist attractions, at any one time.
But the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) insists that a cull is not a foregone conclusion.
"There will be no culling of wild birds because such action may disperse birds further and would not aid control," a statement explained.
The government's acting chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg said that a wild bird control and monitoring area had been established around the premises.
The controls mean that bird keepers are required to either house or isolate their birds from contact with wild birds, while bird movements have been restricted and gatherings banned.
"While this is obviously unwelcome news, we have always said that Britain is at a constant low level of risk of introduction of avian influenza," Mr Landeg explained.
"Our message to all bird keepers, particularly those in the area, is that they must be vigilant, report any signs of disease immediately, and practice the highest levels of biosecurity."