Hi Kyle, Its not our first outbreak, there have been several "wild bird" infections found and 1 commercial turkey farm ("Bernard Mathews" - Feb 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6571157.stm>). Cheers Deri On Tuesday 13 November 2007 13:13:40 Cleveland, Kyle E. wrote: > 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." ----------------------- To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=c-palsy