Avian Flu In UK PDF Print E-mail
Written by Cian MacSweeny   
Thursday, 05 June 2008
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Brendan Smith TD, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, spoke yesterday on the case of avian 'flu on a poultry premises in Oxfordshire in the UK. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed that that the strain involved is H7 and that it is highly pathogenic. As a result of this, DEFRA have put the required EU movement restrictions on poultry and poultry products into action and a ban has been imposed on bird gatherings and shows in the control zone around the outbreak premises.

Minister Smith has taken precautionary measures along with DARD (the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland) and has placed a ban on the participation of birds from the control zone in Oxfordshire at bird shows and gatherings in Ireland. Furthermore, a ban has been put in place on pigeon racing to Ireland from part of England or involving pigeons that were in the area of the control zone from 4 June. Mr. Smith said that the simultaneous introduction of these measures on both sides of the border was “a further example of the application of an all-island approach to the threat of the introduction of avian 'flu to the island of Ireland”.

The Minister has said that according to ornithological advice, because we are currently at the peak of the breeding season, the risk of the flu spreading by movement of migratory wild birds from Britain remains very low.

Mr. Smith assured that his officials would continue to keep the situation and the existing contingency arrangements under constant review. He also reminded flockowners to continue to take the measures that are outlined in the Biosecurity Information booklet that was recently sent to them. The booklet on Avian Influenza Control Measures (that was also sent to flock owners) lists the clinical signs of the disease and any suspicions should be reported to the contact numbers given.



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Last Updated ( Friday, 06 June 2008 )
 
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