http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080603d.htm
NEWS RELEASE
Ref: 171/08
Date: 3 June 2008
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Avian Influenza H7 confirmed in Oxford****re
The Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens, has today confirmed Avian
Influenza in chickens on premises near Banbury in Oxford****re after
preliminary tests were positive for the H7 strain. All birds on the
premises
will be slaughtered as a precautionary measure.
Laboratory testing continues and results which will allow confirmation of
whether the strain is high or low pathogenicity will follow. A detailed
epidemiological investigation to better understand the origin and
development of the disease is underway.
A Tem****ary Control Zone with a 3km inner zone and a 10km outer zone is
being established around the Infected Premises. A number of measures
apply.
All birds must be housed or otherwise isolated from contact with wild
birds
in the inner zone. Bird gatherings are banned and all other movements of
birds and some products are banned in the whole of the Tem****ary Control
Zone. Defra is urgently considering whether any wider measures may be
needed.
Nigel Gibbens said:
"I would stress the need for poultry keepers to be extremely vigilant,
practice the highest levels of biosecurity and re****t any suspicions of
disease to their local Animal Health Office immediately."
The Health Protection Agency has advised that it is im****tant to remember
that H7 avian flu remains largely a disease of birds. The virus does not
transmit easily to humans, as evidenced by the small number of confirmed
infections worldwide to date. Almost all human H7 infections do***ented so
far have been associated with close contact with dead or dying poultry.
The
risk to human health posed by H7 avian influenza viruses remains low.
Nonetheless, the local Health Protection Unit will be identifying and
following up those who may have had contact with the infected poultry and
provide guidance and advice, and preventative medication as appropriate.
Dr Judith Hilton, Food Standards Agency head of microbiological safety,
said:
“This case of bird flu on a premises in Banbury, Oxford****re poses no
safety
implications for the human food chain.
“Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to
eat. The science shows that the virus isn't contracted by eating food –
but
usually by close contact with infected birds.”
All poultry keepers on the GB Poultry Register are being notified, and the
EU Commission has been informed.
Notes to editors
1. Avian Influenza is a disease of birds. Whilst it can pass very rarely
and
with difficulty to humans, this requires extremely close contact with
infected birds, particularly faeces.
2. Advice from the Food Standards Agency remains that properly cooked
poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat. People
should
follow the Agency's normal food hygiene advice in relation to handling
eggs
and raw poultry meat in the kitchen. People should not eat raw eggs or use
raw eggs in dishes that will not be cooked. Eggs should be cooked until
the
whites are solid. People at particular risk of salmonella should continue
to
cook eggs until the yolks are solid. People should also ensure that
poultry
meat is cooked to the point where the juices run clear and there are no
red
parts in the meat. The H7 virus is destroyed by cooking thoroughly.
3. All avian influenzas (H1 to H16) can be low pathogenic but only H5 and
H7
are known to have the potential to become highly pathogenic.
4. For further information, please visit the avian influenza pages on the
Defra website:
www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm
5. AI has been found in Great Britain on the following occasions:
a.. January/February 2008 – H5N1 Avian Influenza confirmed in 11 wild
birds in the Chesil Beach area in Dorset.
b.. November 2007 - H5N1 avian influenza on a turkey farm near Diss,
Norfolk.
c.. June 2007 - H7 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza near St Helens,
Merseyside, England.
d.. May 2007 - H7N2 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Corwen, Conwy,
North
Wales.
e.. February 2007 - Second case in UK of H5N1 Avian Influenza in
poultry,
found in Upper Holton, Suffolk.
f.. May 2006 - Low pathogenic H7N3 in chickens in Dereham, Norfolk
g.. April 2006 - The Cellardyke (Fife, Scotland) swan was the first
highly
pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza case detected in a wild bird in the
British
Isles. It is thought that the swan originated from outside Great Britain.
We
know already that movement of swans associated with cold weather and on
migration has been a feature of recent developments in Europe.
h.. October 2005 - High path H5N1 found in birds in quarantine in Es***
(although that did not count as an outbreak as they were in quarantine).
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