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| Vet tests negative for bird flu | Vet tests negative for bird flu |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A vet who became ill after working on the Suffolk bird flu outbreak has tested negative for the disease, the Health Protection Agency has said. | A vet who became ill after working on the Suffolk bird flu outbreak has tested negative for the disease, the Health Protection Agency has said. |
| He was taken to Nottingham's City Hospital as a precaution with a "mild respiratory illness". A spokeswoman said he was discharged on Wednesday. | He was taken to Nottingham's City Hospital as a precaution with a "mild respiratory illness". A spokeswoman said he was discharged on Wednesday. |
| He will now be treated "under normal clinical care", an HPA spokesman said. | He will now be treated "under normal clinical care", an HPA spokesman said. |
| Almost 160,000 turkeys were culled after the outbreak on a Bernard Matthews farm in Holton. | Almost 160,000 turkeys were culled after the outbreak on a Bernard Matthews farm in Holton. |
| After being admitted to hospital on Tuesday, the vet tested negative for both bird flu and normal seasonal flu. | After being admitted to hospital on Tuesday, the vet tested negative for both bird flu and normal seasonal flu. |
| 'No risk' | 'No risk' |
| Nottingham University Hospitals said in a statement that the vet was admitted "after complaining of mild non-specific symptoms" and was discharged following the HPA's confirmation that the tests were negative. | |
| "As a precautionary measure, hospital staff followed all the necessary infection control measures and there was no risk to other patients in any part of the hospital," it said. | |
| The Health Protection Agency said earlier that it was "highly unlikely" the man would have been contaminated because everyone involved would have taken antiviral drugs and worn "full protective clothing". | The Health Protection Agency said earlier that it was "highly unlikely" the man would have been contaminated because everyone involved would have taken antiviral drugs and worn "full protective clothing". |
| The HPA's Dr John Watson said: "It should be remembered that chest infections and fevers are common at this time of year when ordinary seasonal flu circulates." | The HPA's Dr John Watson said: "It should be remembered that chest infections and fevers are common at this time of year when ordinary seasonal flu circulates." |
| onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/guides/457000/457026/html/default.stm','20070207100332238','toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=568,left=200,top=200');return false;" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/guides/457000/457026/html/default.stm" target="20070207100332238">Main poultry areas Q&A: Bird flu Send us your comments Five nations ban UK poultry | |
| Clifford Warwick, a medical scientist and bird flu expert, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "definitely unlikely" the vet was contaminated with the bird flu virus. | Clifford Warwick, a medical scientist and bird flu expert, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "definitely unlikely" the vet was contaminated with the bird flu virus. |
| Mr Warwick, a director of the Bio Veterinary Group consultancy, said people who worked closely with birds were subject to "fairly routine problems" such as an allergic reaction commonly known as "pigeon fanciers' cough", as well as a disease called psittacosis. | |
| He said people contaminated with H5NI strain in the UK had a "reasonable" prospect of recovery. | He said people contaminated with H5NI strain in the UK had a "reasonable" prospect of recovery. |
| "Our supportive care system is pretty good and it really does come down to that because there is no single panacea you can give to someone who has bird flu and cure the problem. It doesn't work that way," he said. | "Our supportive care system is pretty good and it really does come down to that because there is no single panacea you can give to someone who has bird flu and cure the problem. It doesn't work that way," he said. |
| "You have to really try and maintain the body's system and hope they get over it." | "You have to really try and maintain the body's system and hope they get over it." |
| Meanwhile, the Strategic Health Authority in East Anglia said there was no need to panic. | Meanwhile, the Strategic Health Authority in East Anglia said there was no need to panic. |
| The H5N1 strain - which has caused dozens of human deaths in Asia - was found in the turkeys on the farm. | The H5N1 strain - which has caused dozens of human deaths in Asia - was found in the turkeys on the farm. |
| The H5N1 virus does not pose a large-scale threat to humans because it cannot pass easily from one person to another. | The H5N1 virus does not pose a large-scale threat to humans because it cannot pass easily from one person to another. |
| However, experts fear the virus could mutate at some point in the future and trigger a flu pandemic, potentially putting millions of human lives at risk. | However, experts fear the virus could mutate at some point in the future and trigger a flu pandemic, potentially putting millions of human lives at risk. |
| A 3km (1.9 mile) protection zone and a 10km (6.2 mile) surveillance zone are in place around the Holton farm. | A 3km (1.9 mile) protection zone and a 10km (6.2 mile) surveillance zone are in place around the Holton farm. |
| Poultry owners in a wider restricted zone, covering 2,090 sq km (807 sq miles) around Holton, have been told to keep their flocks isolated from wild birds. | Poultry owners in a wider restricted zone, covering 2,090 sq km (807 sq miles) around Holton, have been told to keep their flocks isolated from wild birds. |
| What each zone means | What each zone means |
| Four countries - Japan, South Africa, South Korea and Hong Kong - have banned imports of UK poultry. | Four countries - Japan, South Africa, South Korea and Hong Kong - have banned imports of UK poultry. |
| Senior vets from the 27 EU member states discussed the outbreak at a meeting on Tuesday, and later the European Commission said it was satisfied with the UK's response. | Senior vets from the 27 EU member states discussed the outbreak at a meeting on Tuesday, and later the European Commission said it was satisfied with the UK's response. |
| An international conference on the possibility of vaccination will take place in Verona in March. | An international conference on the possibility of vaccination will take place in Verona in March. |
| Britain is Europe's second-largest poultry producer after France, with annual exports totalling £300m. | Britain is Europe's second-largest poultry producer after France, with annual exports totalling £300m. |
| Bernard Matthews commercial director Bart Dalla Mura insisted there would be no adverse effect on the poultry industry. | Bernard Matthews commercial director Bart Dalla Mura insisted there would be no adverse effect on the poultry industry. |
| He said consumers were "savvy enough" to see that the disease was being dealt with. | He said consumers were "savvy enough" to see that the disease was being dealt with. |
| 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 slaughterTrains carrying live poultry are prevented from stopping in the protection zoneBird 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 birdsPoultry movements 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 slaughterTrains carrying live poultry are prevented from stopping in the protection zoneBird 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 birdsPoultry movements to be licensed Source: Defra |
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