Dead swans prompt controls to contain bird flu
Pastor Dale Morgan
Dead swans prompt controls to contain bird flu*
By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 2:48am GMT 11/01/2008
UK - Restrictions on the movement of poultry were in force last night
after three wild mute swans tested positive for the virulent H5N1 strain
of the bird flu virus.
Bird flu fears as strain found in wild swans
The wild swans were found near Chesil Beach
A 650-year-old swannery was under threat after the dead birds were
discovered at the nature reserve during routine surveillance.
Tests were being conducted on hundreds of other birds at Abbotsbury
Swannery, near Weymouth, in Dorset. The swannery, which takes in the
Chesil Beach area, is a reserve for free flying swans and wild birds and
is part of an internationally important wetland.
Last night, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
imposed control and monitoring areas but said there were no plans to
cull wild flocks as this could disperse birds further.
The control area extends about 15 miles to the south-east of Abbotsbury,
and includes Weymouth, Chesil Beach and the Portland Bill headland. The
20-mile monitoring area also covers Dorchester.
Within these control areas, bird gatherings such as poultry auctions and
pigeon races are banned, and owners of poultry and other captive birds
are required to house their flocks where possible. Hunting wild birds
and releasing game birds are also banned in protection zones.
Fred Landeg, the Government's acting chief veterinary officer, said:
"Our message to all bird keepers, particularly those in the area, is
that they must be vigilant, report any signs of disease immediately, and
practice the highest levels of biosecurity."
Mr Landeg said the birds died at the turn of the New Year and their
carcasses were found on Monday. They have been sent to a veterinary
laboratory agency for analysis.
As an investigation began to try to establish how the virus spread,
staff at the swannery said other birds appeared "fine and healthy" and
they hoped the colony would build up immunity to the outbreak.
The Health Protection Agency is monitoring about 12 staff at the reserve
for signs of the disease, though the risk of infection is said to be low.
There are about 800 mute swans on the 100-acre Ilchester Estate, which
is owned by Charlotte Townshend, who, according to The Sunday Times rich
list, is the 17th wealthiest woman in Britain. The swannery has been
under the stewardship of the Ilchester Estates since 1541, although
records of a swannery on the site date back to 1354.
Outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of avian flu were recorded last year at a
Bernard Matthews poultry farm in Norfolk in February and at a turkey
farm in Suffolk in November.
Yesterday, Gordon Brown said the Government was doing "everything we
can" to prevent the spread of infection.