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| Bird flu discovered in mute swans | Bird flu discovered in mute swans |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three mute swans in Dorset have been found dead with the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu. | Three mute swans in Dorset have been found dead with the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu. |
| Other birds are being tested at Abbotsbury Swannery, near Weymouth, but so far culling has been ruled out. | Other birds are being tested at Abbotsbury Swannery, near Weymouth, but so far culling has been ruled out. |
| Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Fred Landeg said: "Our message to all bird keepers, particularly those in the area, is that they must be vigilant." | Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Fred Landeg said: "Our message to all bird keepers, particularly those in the area, is that they must be vigilant." |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government would do "everything we can" to stop the spread of infection. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government would do "everything we can" to stop the spread of infection. |
| He said: "We have had to deal with this issue before and the important thing is that people know we have placed protection zones around the affected area." | He said: "We have had to deal with this issue before and the important thing is that people know we have placed protection zones around the affected area." |
| Routine surveillance | Routine surveillance |
| BBC environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee said officials would now try to establish how the virus spread. | BBC environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee said officials would now try to establish how the virus spread. |
| The swans' carcasses were found following routine surveillance, a statement from Defra said. | The swans' carcasses were found following routine surveillance, a statement from Defra said. |
| It's all a big shock. No-one expected it to come round here John HoustonAbbotsbury Swannery Global impact of bird flu class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7181644.stm">Tourist attraction threatened | |
| Defra said government vets had been testing them for avian flu for the last two days. | Defra said government vets had been testing them for avian flu for the last two days. |
| Culling of wild birds has been ruled out because experts fear this may disperse birds further. | Culling of wild birds has been ruled out because experts fear this may disperse birds further. |
| It has set up two restricted areas - a wild bird control area and a larger wild bird monitoring area. | It has set up two restricted areas - a wild bird control area and a larger wild bird monitoring area. |
| The control area extends approximately 15 miles (25km) to the south east of Abbotsbury, and includes the town of Weymouth, Chesil Beach and the Portland Bill headland. | The control area extends approximately 15 miles (25km) to the south east of Abbotsbury, and includes the town of Weymouth, Chesil Beach and the Portland Bill headland. |
| Bird owners must isolate their flocks from wild birds within the zone. | Bird owners must isolate their flocks from wild birds within the zone. |
| Defra said the size and shape of the zone was decided based on expert ornithological advice. | Defra said the size and shape of the zone was decided based on expert ornithological advice. |
| 'Big shock' | 'Big shock' |
| John Houston from Abbotsbury Swannery, which holds 600 swans, said staff were working closely with Defra officials. | John Houston from Abbotsbury Swannery, which holds 600 swans, said staff were working closely with Defra officials. |
| He said: "We are very concerned, but we have been encouraged by Defra's comments about the situation of outbreaks in wild ducks. | He said: "We are very concerned, but we have been encouraged by Defra's comments about the situation of outbreaks in wild ducks. |
| "In those, experience has been a very low mortality of the ducks, perhaps only 1%, and almost immediately or very quickly there has been a build-up of immunity to the virus within the ducks. | "In those, experience has been a very low mortality of the ducks, perhaps only 1%, and almost immediately or very quickly there has been a build-up of immunity to the virus within the ducks. |
| "We are hoping that that scenario within the ducks will be repeated by the swans here at Abbotsbury." | "We are hoping that that scenario within the ducks will be repeated by the swans here at Abbotsbury." |
| He said staff entering the site were wearing protective suits, and removing them and disinfecting themselves on leaving. | He said staff entering the site were wearing protective suits, and removing them and disinfecting themselves on leaving. |
| "We are also working with the Health Protection Agency to ensure that staff and public are fully protected." | "We are also working with the Health Protection Agency to ensure that staff and public are fully protected." |
| It does seem to be the case that we are going to have to live with this particularly virulent disease Andre FarrarRSPB | It does seem to be the case that we are going to have to live with this particularly virulent disease Andre FarrarRSPB |
| Conservative MP Oliver Letwin, whose West Dorset constituency includes Abbotsbury, said he was glad to see the outbreak being "treated with the seriousness which it deserves". | Conservative MP Oliver Letwin, whose West Dorset constituency includes Abbotsbury, said he was glad to see the outbreak being "treated with the seriousness which it deserves". |
| "I very much hope that we will get through this with the swannery intact because it is a remarkable national institution of real beauty and real ecological significance," he said. | "I very much hope that we will get through this with the swannery intact because it is a remarkable national institution of real beauty and real ecological significance," he said. |
| The discovery in Dorset is the latest in a series of bird flu cases in the UK. | The discovery in Dorset is the latest in a series of bird flu cases in the UK. |
| In November 2007, around 5,000 birds were slaughtered after the H5 strain of avian flu was confirmed in turkeys at Redgrave Park Farm, Suffolk. | In November 2007, around 5,000 birds were slaughtered after the H5 strain of avian flu was confirmed in turkeys at Redgrave Park Farm, Suffolk. |
| Previously, a strain was found in chickens at a Norfolk farm in April 2006 and the month before that the deadly H5N1 strain was found in a dead swan on the Fife coast. | Previously, a strain was found in chickens at a Norfolk farm in April 2006 and the month before that the deadly H5N1 strain was found in a dead swan on the Fife coast. |
| Andre Farrar of the RSPB said no-one should be surprised that there had been a further case of H5N1 in the wild bird population. | Andre Farrar of the RSPB said no-one should be surprised that there had been a further case of H5N1 in the wild bird population. |
| He added: "It does seem to be the case that we are going to have to live with this particularly virulent disease. | He added: "It does seem to be the case that we are going to have to live with this particularly virulent disease. |
| "Let's hope that this is all we are going to see of it and monitoring and vigilance will hopefully show that over the next few days. " | "Let's hope that this is all we are going to see of it and monitoring and vigilance will hopefully show that over the next few days. " |