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| Bird flu: EU in talks as Netherlands battles outbreak | Bird flu: EU in talks as Netherlands battles outbreak |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The European Commission is discussing protective measures to contain a "highly contagious" strain of bird flu discovered at a poultry farm in the Netherlands. | The European Commission is discussing protective measures to contain a "highly contagious" strain of bird flu discovered at a poultry farm in the Netherlands. |
| The measures will include killing all contaminated animals and the cleaning of their holding areas. | The measures will include killing all contaminated animals and the cleaning of their holding areas. |
| The Dutch government said the strain, H5N8, could potentially affect humans. | The Dutch government said the strain, H5N8, could potentially affect humans. |
| EU officials say the outbreak may be linked to bird flu recently found in Germany and the UK. | EU officials say the outbreak may be linked to bird flu recently found in Germany and the UK. |
| They say it could have been spread by migratory wild birds heading south for winter, but that tests were continuing to confirm any links between the three cases. | |
| Three-day ban | Three-day ban |
| The Dutch authorities have already begun destroying 150,000 hens at the infected farm, in the village of Hekendorp. | The Dutch authorities have already begun destroying 150,000 hens at the infected farm, in the village of Hekendorp. |
| "This highly pathogenic variant of avian influenza is very dangerous for bird life," the Dutch government said in a statement (in Dutch). | "This highly pathogenic variant of avian influenza is very dangerous for bird life," the Dutch government said in a statement (in Dutch). |
| "The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans." | "The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans." |
| The Dutch economics ministry says humans can only be infected through very close contact with infected birds. | The Dutch economics ministry says humans can only be infected through very close contact with infected birds. |
| The authorities have imposed a three-day nationwide ban on the transportation of poultry and eggs. | The authorities have imposed a three-day nationwide ban on the transportation of poultry and eggs. |
| The European Commission is set to announce "appropriate measures" to contain the outbreak on Monday, a spokesman told the BBC. | The European Commission is set to announce "appropriate measures" to contain the outbreak on Monday, a spokesman told the BBC. |
| Lorries at the scene appear to be carrying dead chickens and gas canisters, the BBC's Anna Holligan reports from the Hekendorp farm. | Lorries at the scene appear to be carrying dead chickens and gas canisters, the BBC's Anna Holligan reports from the Hekendorp farm. |
| A 10-km (six-mile) exclusion zone has been set up, our correspondent adds. | A 10-km (six-mile) exclusion zone has been set up, our correspondent adds. |
| The farm reportedly sold eggs rather than poultry. Its produce was sold primarily in the Netherlands, with some also exported to Germany. | The farm reportedly sold eggs rather than poultry. Its produce was sold primarily in the Netherlands, with some also exported to Germany. |
| Earlier this month, a farm in north-eastern Germany detected cases of H5N8, which had previously not been reported in Europe. | |
| The strain has never been detected in humans, but an outbreak in South Korea meant millions of farm birds had to be slaughtered to contain it. | The strain has never been detected in humans, but an outbreak in South Korea meant millions of farm birds had to be slaughtered to contain it. |
| Also on Monday, Egyptian health officials said a woman had died from the deadliest strain of the virus, H5N1, after coming into contact with infected birds in the south of the country. | Also on Monday, Egyptian health officials said a woman had died from the deadliest strain of the virus, H5N1, after coming into contact with infected birds in the south of the country. |
| Dangerous strains | Dangerous strains |
| Meanwhile, officials in the UK have confirmed at least one case of bird flu in Yorkshire, but insist the risk to public health is "very low". | |
| A cull of poultry is being carried out at the site and an exclusion zone is in place. | A cull of poultry is being carried out at the site and an exclusion zone is in place. |
| The strain has not been confirmed, but the deadly H5N1 form, which can infect humans, has been ruled out by officials. | The strain has not been confirmed, but the deadly H5N1 form, which can infect humans, has been ruled out by officials. |
| "It looks like from the genome typing that all three recent outbreaks [in Europe] are the same strain of the virus. Some tests are ongoing to confirm this," EU officials said at a briefing in Brussels on Monday. | |
| Meanwhile, the head of the World Animal Health Organisation, Bernard Vallat, suggested that bird feed at the farms night have become contaminated by wild migratory birds. | |
| "If feed is not protected and a wild bird comes to eat it, it's enough to contaminate the feed and then those that eat that feed," Mr Vallat told Reuters news agency. | "If feed is not protected and a wild bird comes to eat it, it's enough to contaminate the feed and then those that eat that feed," Mr Vallat told Reuters news agency. |
| Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, has several different strains. | Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, has several different strains. |
| Most forms do not infect humans, but the H5N1 and H7N9 strains have caused serious infections in people, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. | Most forms do not infect humans, but the H5N1 and H7N9 strains have caused serious infections in people, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. |
| The majority of those infected had come into close contact with live or dead poultry. | The majority of those infected had come into close contact with live or dead poultry. |
| There is no evidence to suggest the H5N1 and H7N9 viruses can be passed to humans through properly prepared poultry or eggs, the WHO says. | There is no evidence to suggest the H5N1 and H7N9 viruses can be passed to humans through properly prepared poultry or eggs, the WHO says. |
| The H5N1 strain has a mortality rate of about 60% in humans, and led to 384 deaths between 2003 and December 2013, according to WHO figures. | The H5N1 strain has a mortality rate of about 60% in humans, and led to 384 deaths between 2003 and December 2013, according to WHO figures. |
| Common symptoms for bird flu include a high fever and coughing. | Common symptoms for bird flu include a high fever and coughing. |