Two adults tested for bird flu after North Wales outbreak » Health » 24dash.com

Two adults are being tested for bird flu after an outbreak of the virus on a north Wales farm, it was confirmed today.

Dr Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, said it was not the most dangerous H5N1 strain but H7N2 low pathogenic avian influenza.

She said: "We have no reason to believe that the viral infection is spreading rapidly within this small population.

"This isn't another East Anglia situation at the moment."

Thirty chickens were today being slaughtered at the smallholding in Corwen after 15 birds died.

The dead birds were 22-week-old Rhode Island Red chickens which were bought by the smallholding two weeks ago, bringing their total number of chickens to 45.

But one of the new chickens died the day after it was taken to the farm and now all of them are dead. Tests were carried out after the farm's owners contacted their own vet. It was only learned yesterday that tests had detected the virus, and further tests to confirm this were carried out through the night.

A 1km restriction zone has now been set up around the farm, stopping birds and bird products being moved in or out of the area. Test results are now expected on the two adults connected to the smallholding, and everyone entering the site is taking flu drug Tamiflu as a precaution.

Dr Glossop said: "Wales and Great Britain contingency plans have been activated and in line with these the farm has been placed under restrictions.

"We are not yet asking bird keepers within the zone to bring their birds indoors."

She emphasised the need for proper biosecurity measures, adding: "I'd like to think people have learned from foot and mouth."

The source of the outbreak is being investigated and Dr Glossop urged poultry keepers to look out for signs of disease in their birds.

She said: "As the jigsaw puzzle becomes clearer we may put restraints on holdings in other parts of Britain.

"We will be monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis."

She added that all measures in Wales's contingency plan for bird flu were being put in place, and that the Welsh Assembly Government is working with the Scottish Executive and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dr Mike Simmons, senior medical officer for Wales, said there was a large enough supply of flu drug Tamiflu to provide a five-day treatment course for a quarter of the population of Wales.

Supplies of the drug have been delivered to the local health board for the affected area.

Dr Simmons said there is no ongoing risk to the public, and added: "We do not anticipate this virus transmogrifying into the H5 strain, but it's not impossible."

Dr Glossop said the strain of bird flu was "pretty unusual" and added: "We don't know how it's going to develop."

She added that the infected chickens were egg producers and there were investigations going on to trace what had left the farm and come on to the farm in recent weeks.

A spokeswoman for the Food Standards Agency said anyone eating eggs from the infected poultry was not at risk of contracting the virus.

She said: "Avian flu does not pose a food safety risk with low pathogenic strains.

"The virus does not get into meat and eggs, but agency advice to consumers is that they should follow their usual good hygiene food practices, ensuring poultry products are thoroughly cooked and eggs are cooked until the whites are solid."

Conservative Welsh Assembly member Brynle Williams said: "This latest incident is the first of its kind in Wales, and I am appealing to all residents in Corwen and nearby to behave calmly and to let Government officials carry out their duties now that bird flu has arrived in north Wales."

Investigations are now being carried out to determine where the birds were bought from. Dr Glossop said that the birds' cause of death is yet to be confirmed.

The National Public Health Service for Wales said two people living on the farm had symptoms of flu and conjunctivitis.

Both are receiving treatment and have had blood tests. Neither is in hospital.

A spokeswoman said: "In almost all cases of human H7 infection to date, the virus has only caused a mild disease.

"H7 avian flu remains largely a disease of birds. Almost all human H7 infections documented so far have been associated with close contact with dead or dying poultry.

"In any case, it is very difficult for human beings to catch flu from birds. There has to be very close and continued contact for this to happen. The H7 virus also does not transmit easily from person to person."

Dr Marion Lyons, consultant in communicable disease control for the National Public Health Service for Wales, said: "As a precaution, we are identifying all those who have been in very close contact with the birds in the last seven days so that we can offer them an anti-viral medicine called Tamiflu.

"This can help in reducing symptoms. We are also contacting all those people who have been in close contact with those people living on the smallholding since they fell ill a week ago."

She added that the National Public Health Service for Wales is monitoring the situation closely, and said: "We are following guidelines and plans in place for such cases of avian flu."

Copyright Press Association 2007.

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