Experts set up bird flu risk zone

A massive operation is under way in Scotland after confirmation that the sample from a swan found dead in Fife contained the H5N1 avian flu virus.

A wild bird risk area has been set up spanning 2,500sq kms from the Forth Road Bridge to Perth and from Dundee to Stonehaven.

Three million birds in at least 175 poultry premises, of which 260,000 are free range, are being kept inside.

Consumers are being told to cook all eggs and chickens "properly".

Charles Milne, chief veterinary officer, said they were waiting for the results of tests on a further 12 swans and two other bird species.

He said the 1.8 mile (3km) protection zone set up around the village of Cellardyke on Wednesday remained in place. A six mile (10km) surveillance zone was also created.

Surveillance zone

"We are concentrating firstly in the protection zone where we will visit all poultry premises to statistically sample birds on those premises to ensure there is no infection," he explained.

"We will also patrol and clinically examine all birds in the surveillance zone and if there is any suspicion of clinical disease we will take samples and again they will be sent away for analysis.

"The further measures we are proposing are we are going to set up a wild bird risk area covering 2,500sq kms.

"From the poultry register there are 175 registered poultry premises in that area. Of those, 48 premises are free range. In total there are 3.1m birds, of which 260,000 are free range birds."

The risk to public health is no greater today than it was last week or last month, nothing has changed Dr Harry Burns chief medical officer

He said "What we are proposing in this area is we are going to issue a veterinary directive to owners to house their birds.

"We will prohibit the gathering of birds in that area and we will enhance our surveillance of wild birds in the area.

"This is a precautionary measure in response of the risk of disease being present in the mute swan population.

"Those measures will be constantly reviewed in the light of emerging evidence."

An aerial view of Cellardyke, where the dead swan was found

He added: "Since 29 March we are investigating 14 submissions of birds in Scotland, 12 of those are in swans and two are in other species.

"We have investigated over 1,000 cases, of which 400 have been swans."

Dr Harry Burns, chief medical officer, said: "The risk to public health is no greater today than it was last week or last month, nothing has changed.

"This is an avian incident. The risk of this virus passing to humans is extremely low. It is unlikely to occur unless there is any very close contact with a diseased bird.

"Even if a human infection did occur the risk of passing it on to another person is extremely slight."