H5N1 Outbreak Confirmed Among Turkeys On Farm In Suffolk, UK - New Scientist

[hatrack]

The outbreak of bird flu killing turkeys at a UK farm has been confirmed to be the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus that has been moving across Eurasia and has so far killed 206 people, mainly in Asia. It is only the second outbreak of the virus in poultry in the UK. Staff at Redgrave Park farm, near the town of Diss in Suffolk, found on Sunday morning that 60 turkeys out of a flock of 1000 had died overnight.

Turkeys are exceptionally sensitive to H5N1, and the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed the outbreak as H5N1 on Tuesday afternoon. All 5000 birds on the farm have now been destroyed.

The UK's first outbreak of H5N1 in poultry, in Suffolk in February 2007, is thought to have come from Hungary in imported turkey meat. But Redgrave Park is said to have received no deliveries that could have brought in infected poultry for four weeks. Scientists point out that enough H5N1 to infect turkeys could be brought into a barn by someone who has walked in infected bird droppings.

The source of the virus might be clearer when its genetic sequence is determined, as this will show which other viruses it is most closely related to. "The initial sequence data suggests that it's closely related to outbreaks in the Czech Republic and Germany," says the UK's acting chief veterinary officer, Fred Landeg. This, "does suggest a possible wild bird source", he adds.

EDIT

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn12915-uk-bird-flu-outbreak-confirmed-as-h5n1.html

[XemaSab]

1. Time for another trip to the grocery store...

I'm looking low on canned green beans, store brand mac&cheese, and bottled water. :P

[Mojorabbit]

2. It is looking like

another cluster in Indonesia too. A fellow died last week and his wife and nephew are in the hospital with symptoms. Waiting for the test results.