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| Vets working to contain bird flu | Vets working to contain bird flu |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Government vets have been working through the night at a poultry farm in Suffolk to contain an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 Asian strain of bird flu. | Government vets have been working through the night at a poultry farm in Suffolk to contain an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 Asian strain of bird flu. |
| A cull of nearly 160,000 turkeys has begun at the plant near Lowestoft. | A cull of nearly 160,000 turkeys has begun at the plant near Lowestoft. |
| The virus can be fatal if passed on to humans but experts said the outbreak posed little danger to people's health. | The virus can be fatal if passed on to humans but experts said the outbreak posed little danger to people's health. |
| The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has imposed controls on the movement of poultry flocks near the Bernard Matthews site. | The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has imposed controls on the movement of poultry flocks near the Bernard Matthews site. |
| A three-kilometre protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have now been set up around Holton, which is approximately 27km south-west of Lowestoft. | A three-kilometre protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have now been set up around Holton, which is approximately 27km south-west of Lowestoft. |
| What each zone means | |
| A much wider restricted zone covering 2,090 sq km is bordered by the A140 to the west and the A47 to the north and almost to Felixstowe in the south. | A much wider restricted zone covering 2,090 sq km is bordered by the A140 to the west and the A47 to the north and almost to Felixstowe in the south. |
| Q&A: Bird flu | Q&A: Bird flu |
| Defra said experts had spent the night gassing birds at the farm. | Defra said experts had spent the night gassing birds at the farm. |
| A spokeswoman said the carcasses of gassed birds were being transported in "sealed, leak-proof lorries, fully covered with tarpaulin" for destruction at a Staffordshire plant. | A spokeswoman said the carcasses of gassed birds were being transported in "sealed, leak-proof lorries, fully covered with tarpaulin" for destruction at a Staffordshire plant. |
| Farmers in the restricted area have been told to keep their flocks isolated from wild birds and any movements licensed. | Farmers in the restricted area have been told to keep their flocks isolated from wild birds and any movements licensed. |
| The avian flu which killed 2,600 turkeys at the farm in Suffolk has been confirmed as the Asian strain of the H5N1 virus. | The avian flu which killed 2,600 turkeys at the farm in Suffolk has been confirmed as the Asian strain of the H5N1 virus. |
| It is the first case on a UK commercial farm. | It is the first case on a UK commercial farm. |
| The setting up of the restriction zone is a precautionary measure to control the spread of the disease. | The setting up of the restriction zone is a precautionary measure to control the spread of the disease. |
| Dr Chris Smith, a virologist and bird flu expert from Cambridge University, said every precaution must be taken to ensure there are no human cases of bird flu. | Dr Chris Smith, a virologist and bird flu expert from Cambridge University, said every precaution must be taken to ensure there are no human cases of bird flu. |
| "Whenever this virus gets into a human it has the opportunity to learn, to recognise human cells and to grow in humans," he told the BBC. | "Whenever this virus gets into a human it has the opportunity to learn, to recognise human cells and to grow in humans," he told the BBC. |
| "The more people that get infected the greater chance that can happen." | "The more people that get infected the greater chance that can happen." |
| class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6328445.stm">Job loss fears haunt village | |
| The strain has killed 164 people worldwide - mainly in south-east Asia - since 2003. | The strain has killed 164 people worldwide - mainly in south-east Asia - since 2003. |
| However, the virus is not thought to be able to pass easily from human to human at present. | However, the virus is not thought to be able to pass easily from human to human at present. |
| So far, all those who have been infected worldwide have come into close contact with infected birds. | So far, all those who have been infected worldwide have come into close contact with infected birds. |
| The government department earlier said the flu was the "highly pathogenic" Asian strain, similar to a virus that was found in Hungary in January. | The government department earlier said the flu was the "highly pathogenic" Asian strain, similar to a virus that was found in Hungary in January. |
| In that incident, the first time bird flu had occurred in the European Union since August 2006, a flock of 3,000 geese was killed. | In that incident, the first time bird flu had occurred in the European Union since August 2006, a flock of 3,000 geese was killed. |
| A spokesman for the Bernard Matthews company, which runs the farm in Holton, said none of the affected birds had entered the food chain and there was no risk to public health. | A spokesman for the Bernard Matthews company, which runs the farm in Holton, said none of the affected birds had entered the food chain and there was no risk to public health. |
| Kitchen hygiene | Kitchen hygiene |
| Professor John Oxford, a virologist at the London Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, addressed fears about the safety of eating poultry. | Professor John Oxford, a virologist at the London Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, addressed fears about the safety of eating poultry. |
| He told BBC News people need to wash their hands when handling raw meat to "get the hygiene level in the kitchen high". | He told BBC News people need to wash their hands when handling raw meat to "get the hygiene level in the kitchen high". |
| Prof Oxford said that once the meat had come out of the oven it would be "perfectly safe - 100%". | Prof Oxford said that once the meat had come out of the oven it would be "perfectly safe - 100%". |
| Fred Landeg, Britain's Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, said an investigation was under way but the most likely source of the outbreak was wild birds. | Fred Landeg, Britain's Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, said an investigation was under way but the most likely source of the outbreak was wild birds. |
| DEFRA CONTINGENCY PLAN Full document [372KB] Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Reader. Download the reader here | DEFRA CONTINGENCY PLAN Full document [372KB] Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Reader. Download the reader here |
| The Health Protection Agency said farm workers who had come into contact with infected birds, and those involved in the culling process, would be offered the anti-viral drug Tamiflu as a precaution. | The Health Protection Agency said farm workers who had come into contact with infected birds, and those involved in the culling process, would be offered the anti-viral drug Tamiflu as a precaution. |
| In May last year, more than 50,000 chickens were culled after an outbreak of the H7 bird flu in farms in the neighbouring county of Norfolk. | In May last year, more than 50,000 chickens were culled after an outbreak of the H7 bird flu in farms in the neighbouring county of Norfolk. |
| One member of staff at the farm contracted the disease and was treated for an eye infection. | One member of staff at the farm contracted the disease and was treated for an eye infection. |
| In March 2006, a wild swan found dead in Cellardyke, Fife, was found to have the H5N1 strain of the virus. | In March 2006, a wild swan found dead in Cellardyke, Fife, was found to have the H5N1 strain of the virus. |
| For more information call the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77 | For more information call the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77 |
| If you have any pictures from the scene you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text your pictures to 07725 100 100. | If you have any pictures from the scene you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text your pictures to 07725 100 100. |
| Scene of outbreak All poultry to be culledVisitors disinfected and restricted access 3km Protection Zone Poultry kept indoors and tested 10km Surveillance Zone No movement of poultry to or from area except for slaughterRail transport restricted to non-stopping movementsBird fairs and markets bannedIncreased surveillance of wetland areasDomestic birds not to share water used by wild birdsFootpath restrictions likely only on free-range farmsPeople in towns not affected unless they keep poultry. Restriction Zone Isolation of poultry from wild birdsMovements to be licensed Source: Defra | Scene of outbreak All poultry to be culledVisitors disinfected and restricted access 3km Protection Zone Poultry kept indoors and tested 10km Surveillance Zone No movement of poultry to or from area except for slaughterRail transport restricted to non-stopping movementsBird fairs and markets bannedIncreased surveillance of wetland areasDomestic birds not to share water used by wild birdsFootpath restrictions likely only on free-range farmsPeople in towns not affected unless they keep poultry. Restriction Zone Isolation of poultry from wild birdsMovements to be licensed Source: Defra |
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