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| Bird flu discovered in mute swans | Bird flu discovered in mute swans |
| (9 minutes 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. |
| Efforts have begun to test other birds at Abbotsbury Swannery, a sanctuary located nine miles from Weymouth. | Efforts have begun to test other birds at Abbotsbury Swannery, a sanctuary located nine miles from Weymouth. |
| 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." |
| 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 | It's all a big shock. No-one expected it to come round here John HoustonAbbotsbury Swannery Global impact of bird flu |
| Defra spokeswoman Linda Scott said: "Government vets have been testing them for avian flu for the last two days." | Defra spokeswoman Linda Scott said: "Government vets have been testing them for avian flu for the last two days." |
| The statement added that a Wild Bird Control Area and Monitoring Area has been set up around the Swannery, covering Chesil Beach and Portland Bill. | The statement added that a Wild Bird Control Area and Monitoring Area has been set up around the Swannery, covering Chesil Beach and Portland Bill. |
| Bird owners must isolate their flocks from wild birds within the zone. | Bird owners must isolate their flocks from wild birds within the zone. |
| 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. |
| John Houston from Abbotsbury Swannery, which holds 600 swans, said staff were working closely with Defra officials | |
| He said: "It's all a big shock. No-one expected it to come round here. | He said: "It's all a big shock. No-one expected it to come round here. |
| "Our main concern is the welfare of the swans, our staff and the general public. | "Our main concern is the welfare of the swans, our staff and the general public. |
| "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 | |
| Shadow Environment Secretary Peter Ainsworth said: "Clearly this is very disturbing news especially because of the connection with the wild bird population." | |
| The discovery in Dorset is the latest in a series of bird flu cases in the UK. | |
| In November 2007, around 5,000 birds 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. | |
| 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." |