BIRD FLU IN FIFE

[jimmy white]

        TELETEX WED 9 15, BBC I,

 

BIRD FLU CONFIRMED IN DEAD SWAN

 

PRELIMINARY TESTS HAVE FOUND THE H5 AVIAN FLU IN A SAMPLE FROM A SWAN,FOUND DEAD IN FIFE.

 

THE EXACT STRAIN OF THE VIRUS IS NOT YET KNOWN, BUT TESTS WERE CONTINNUING, FURTHERRESULTS WERE EXPECTED ON THURS.

 

 

THE SCOTTISH EXC SAID THE AREA WAS BEING SEALED OFF.

 

IF THE DESEASE IS CONFIRMED AS THE DEADLY H5NI STRAIN, THERE MAY BE FURTHER RESTRICTIONS PUT IN PLACE.

[jimmy white]

LETS HOPE THESE RESULTS TOMORROW PROVE NEGATIVE FOR THE H5N1

[fifestay]

I think that it may not be Good

[andrew]

Preliminary tests have confirmed the H5 avian flu virus in a sample from a swan found dead in north east Fife, health officials have revealed.

The exact virus strain is not known, but tests were continuing and further results were expected on Thursday.

 

The Scottish Executive said the area around Cellardyke, north of Anstruther, was being sealed off.

 

If the disease is confirmed as the deadly H5N1 strain there may be further restrictions put in place.

 

An executive spokesman said: "In accordance with a recent EU decision the Scottish Executive is putting in place a protection zone of a minimum of three kilometres radius and a surveillance zone of 10 kilometres.

 

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Bird flu

 

 

"Keepers of birds in the protection zone are being instructed to isolate their birds from wild birds, by taking them indoors where ever possible."

 

Measures to restrict the movement of poultry, eggs and poultry products from these zones will be brought into effect immediately.

 

Officials stressed that there was no reason for public health concern.

 

The H5N1 virus does not at present pose a large-scale threat to humans, as it cannot pass easily from one person to another.

 

  Bird keepers outside the protection zone should redouble their efforts to prepare for bringing their birds indoors if that becomes necessary

 

Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland

Charles Milne

 

However, experts fear the virus could mutate to gain this ability, and in its new form trigger a flu pandemic, potentially putting millions of human lives at risk.

 

According to the National Farmers Union Scotland, the Scottish poultry industry produces 127,000 tones of meat and 740 million eggs.

 

Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland Charles Milne said: "Whilst disease has yet to be confirmed, this is an important development.

 

"Bird keepers outside the protection zone should redouble their efforts to prepare for bringing their birds indoors if that becomes necessary.

 

"They must also review their biosecurity measures to ensure that all possible precautions have been taken."

 

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell, in whose Fife North East constituency the bird was found, said he would follow the situation "very closely".

 

High alert

 

He said: "I have spoken directly to the (agriculture) minister, Ben Bradshaw, who has told me there cannot be final confirmation until tomorrow.

 

"I have his assurance that all necessary steps will be taken and that there is no health risk to humans."

 

First Minister Jack McConnell said he had spoken to other ministerial offices and was being kept informed of the situation.

 

Mr McConnell was notified whilst on an engagement in Washington as part of his involvement in Tartan Week.

 

BBC Scotland rural affairs correspondent Ken Rundle said that whilst the poultry industry would be on high alert, there would be relief that the virus had been found on a wild bird and not on a poultry farm.

 

Denmark recorded its first case of the potentially deadly H5N1 avian flu virus last month.

 

The strain has already been found in Europe this month in Switzerland, Poland, Serbia-Montenegro and Albania.

 

France recorded its first case in February.

 

[ray]

preliminary tests say bird flu is in scotland, on ten oclock news, one swan has been found with it, but it was a migratory swan, in a 3 mile radius poultry has been order in doors, lets hope its the first and last

[THE FIFER]

JUST ON THE 10PM NEWS IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED THAT A SWAN IN FIFE (CELARDYKE) NEAR ANSTRUTHER, HAS PROVED POSITIVE THE BIRD WAS FOUND DEAD, IT IS NOT YET KNOWN IF IT IS THE A1 FIRUS BUT THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE HAS PUT OUT THE CLOSING ZONES ETC AROUND THE AREA.

[THE FIFER]

ITS IN CELLARDYKE JUST OUTSIDE ANSTRUTHER.

[jimmy white]

YES THATS RIGHT FIFER, WED BETTER PRAY THAT ITS NOT THE FULL BLOWN H5NI VIRUS,, WE SHOULD FIND OUT TOMORROW, THERE WILL BE MORE ON THE NEWS TONIGHT

[THE FIFER]

SO CLOSE TO RACING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, AND YES IT'S THE WILD BIRDS WHICH ARE THE DANGER, WHAT WILL THEY DO ABOUT THEM CROWS HAWKS SEAGULLS ETC, CAN'T KEEP THEM INDOORS

[Guest]

I get BBC America news at 3.00 pm our time I will switch it on to say what they are saying

[mealybar]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4881526.stm

 

Worrying time, we'll see what comes through on the test results tomorrow :-/

[jimmy white]

FIFER, I AGREE WHAT YOUR SAYING, THIS WAS A PARTLY DECOMPOSED BODY OF A SWAN, THAT MUST HAVE LAY FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, NOW IN THIS TIME, IM QUITE SURE ,YOU WOULD GET ALL SORTS OF HAWKS,CROWS AND BUZZARDS, NOT TO MENTION CATS ,STOATS WEASELS ETC, IN FACT THESE COULD BE THE WORST CARIERS.,,, THIS IS THE TIME TO STOP THE RSPB FREEING THESE HAWKS, TO BREED AND FEED ON BIRDS LIKE THIS, AND MAKE MATTERS WORSE BY SPREADING IT, THEY SHOULD BE SHOT,,THE HAWKS AND THE RSPB,, THESE ARE THE BIRDS THAT ARE FLYING RATS

[THE FIFER]

I AGREE JIMMY, THEY ARE THE DANGER NOT BIRDS IN CAPTIVITY, ITS THE WILD BIRDS WHICH SHOULD BE PUT OUT OF ACTION, IF THIS IS THE VIRUS THEN WE WILL BE KEAPING OUR BIRDS IN, SO MIGHT BE OUR CHANCE TO GET AT THE PRESS AND POWERS THAT BE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THE WILD BIRDS, I HOPE IT DOES NOT COME TO THIS WE WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE,

[THE FIFER]

I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IN THE PRESENT SITUATION UNTIL THINGS ARE, MORE CONFIRMED THAT ALL  FIFE FANCIERS SHOULD SHOW RESPECT BY KEEPING THEIR BIRDS IN,

[Guest]

Just watched BBC World.

 

More or less the same as has been broadcast in UK, but they did mention about where the swan had come from was in question, The Mute swans live in that area all year round with no migration, but the Hooper Swans who visit the area so so while migrating, they found this odd as the Migrating Swans shold be flying northwards now, and not westwards from Europe

 

apparently there is a  3km exclusion Zone and cars driving into the area are being stopped and questioned about the occupants having any involvement with the poultry industry.

[THE FIFER]

YES WE HAVE SWANS IN OUR TOWN OF LEVEN BUT THEY ARE HERE ALL YEAR ROUND,

[THE FIFER]

AS COMING OUT IT'S NOT DOMESTIC BIRDS WHICH ARE THE DANGER IT'S WILD BIRDS,

[jimmy white]

WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE RULES ,IF ITS POSITIVE , AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO KEEP OUR BIRDS IN, BUT ARE THE RSPB CATCHING THEIR RUNG PERIGRINES , WHICH THEVE HAVE LET OUT, AND KEEPING THEM INDOORS, OR DOES THAT NOT MATTER  ???

[THE FIFER]

YES JIMMY THEY HAVE A LOT TO ANSWER FOR, HAWKS CROWS AND GULLS ALL SCAVENGERS WHO ARE A REAL THREAT IE PICKING AND EATING DEAD BIRDS, AND ON THEIR ADDMISSION THEY GO FOR WEAK BIRDS,

[jimmy white]

it has now emerged that the wild swan in fife was found 8 days ago.  t/tx  bbc 1

 

one of the interviewees,last night on tv said the bird was in a partly decomposed state

[jimmy white]

NOWS THE TIME FOR" FACT "AND NOT RUMOUR, AS THE PAPERS WILL PRINT ANYTHING,,,,,,,,,FIRST OF ALL IT HAS TO BE CONFIRMED AS THE H5N1 VIRUS,

WHICH ,HOPEFULLY WE WILL FIND TODAY, UP TO NOW ITS ONLY CONFIRMED AS H5.

[Guest]

WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE RULES ,IF ITS POSITIVE , AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO KEEP OUR BIRDS IN, BUT ARE THE RSPB CATCHING THEIR RUNG PERIGRINES , WHICH THEVE HAVE LET OUT, AND KEEPING THEM INDOORS, OR DOES THAT NOT MATTER  ???

 

good idea to keep the birds in the lofts if its positive, Jimmy.

[Guest]

I think its just part of this Bird Flu test run in our GB at the moment, and I think the threat of swan with bird flu is just another part of the test!!

[jimmy white]

I DONT THINK SO SBELBIN, [i WOULD LIKE TO THINK SO[ BUT ITS REAL ]

LETS HOPE THESE TESTS TODAY PROVE NEGATIVE

[sapper756]

1pm news on itv today says that another 2 dead swans found in a park in Glasgow in the last 24hours are also being tested for bird flue. Things are not looking too good.