Bird flu detected at British chicken farm as officials act to prevent spread of disease

Bird flu has been detected at a British chicken farm as officials act to try to prevent the spread of the disease.
Birds at the unnamed breeding farm in Hampshire are being culled and an 1km poultry restriction zone has been imposed.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said a "low severity" case of avian flu has been confirmed in chickens.


The outbreak has been identified as the H7 strain, which is described by officials as "much less severe" than the H5N8 strain found at a Yorkshire duck farm in November.
Defra said there are no links between the two cases, while Public Health England said the risk to public health is very low.

It comes after bird flu outbreak in Yorkshire in November:

There is no food safety risk for consumers, according to the Food Standards Agency.
Experts are working to establish the source of the outbreak.
Chief Vet Nigel Gibbens said:"We have taken immediate action to contain this outbreak as part of our robust procedures for dealing swiftly with avian flu.
"This is a low severity form of the virus and we are taking action to ensure that the disease does not spread or develop into a more severe form. We are investigating the possible sources of the outbreak.
"I would urge poultry keepers in the surrounding area to be vigilant for any signs of disease and to ensure they are maintaining good biosecurity on their premises."

 

Cull: Officials culled birds at farm in Nafferton, Yorkshire, after bird flu was detected in November (file picture)

Nick Phin, Director for Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control said: "Based on what we know about this strain of avian influenza and the actions that have been taken, the risk to human health in this case is considered very low."
A spokesperson for the Food Standards Agency said: "On the basis of current scientific evidence, Food Standards Agency advice is that avian (bird) flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.
"Laboratory investigations on the outbreak indicate that it is the N7 sub-type of H7 but this will need to be confirmed in further testing."