Hey all, this just came through the wire.  Looks like it's finally
reached Western Europe.  This is not a good omen:

England: Confirmed H5 avian influenza in Suffolk poultry farm [Nov 12
London England]--The Department for the Environment Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra) has today confirmed avian influenza in turkeys on
premises near Diss on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. Preliminary tests were
positive for the H5 strain.

Full confirmation of these preliminary results, including whether or not
this is H5N1 and whether the strain is high or low pathogenic, will be
made available by Defra in due course.

As required under EU legislation, Defra will be culling all poultry on
the infected premises and have imposed a 3-kilometre protection zone and
a 10-kilometre outer surveillance zone around the farm area. This is to
prevent further spread to neighbouring flocks and/or farms.

Despite this incident the current level of risk to humans from H5 avian
influenza remains extremely low. Nonetheless, any possibility of
exposure is taken very seriously and the Health Protection Agency is
working closely with Defra and local NHS partners to ensure that all the
necessary actions are being taken to protect those people who may have
been exposed to the virus.

These actions include the offering of antiviral drugs and seasonal
influenza vaccine where appropriate to people who have been in close
contact with the infected poultry.

Concerned local residents can ring the Defra helpline for further
information on avian influenza on 08459 33 55 77 between 6.00am -
10.00pm Monday to Friday.

Avian influenza, or "bird flu", is a contagious disease of birds caused
by viruses that normally only infect wild birds and, rarely, other
species including domestic poultry. There is no evidence of sustained
human-to-human transmission.

Professor Nigel Lightfoot, Head of Influenza Programmes at the Health
Protection Agency, said: "Despite this occurrence the current level of
risk to humans from avian flu is extremely low. Most human H5 infections
so far have occurred through direct contact with live or dead infected
poultry."

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