More wild birds 'will have H5N1'

The ex-head of the British Veterinary Association, Dr Bob McCracken, said he found it "difficult to accept" there would not be more cases.

But Dr McCracken said that did not mean it was certain the virus would spread to poultry.

He also advised poultry owners to keep birds indoors if possible.

Seagulls

Fourteen other birds, including 12 swans, are currently being tested by experts to see if they have the virus.

"I would start from the assumption that a small pool if wild birds in the Fife area are infected"
Dr Bob McCracken, British Veterinary Association

Experts think there will be other positive cases, particularly because the initial case was in a mute swan, which is native to the UK, rather than a migratory species.

Dr McCracken said: "I would start from the assumption that a small pool if wild birds in the Fife area are infected and potentially passing it on to other birds."

Professor John Oxford, a virologist at Barts and the London Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, agreed the swan would not be the last UK case.

"I don't think for a minute that will be the situation."

Dr McCracken also warned that seagulls, who are known to have been pecking at the carcass of the dead bird, could also be infected.

"We have to assume that".

But he said measures - most significantly keeping birds indoors - would protect domestic flocks from becoming infected.

And if infection did spread to a farm, containment measures could be implemented to prevent the virus spreading to other flocks - including culling.

Wild birds in France and Germany have also been found to have H5N1.

In both cases poultry on nearby farms were infected but poor hygiene standards and a failure to keep birds indoors were blamed.

Dr McCracken added: "If I were a poultry keeper, I would bring my birds indoors, before it becomes mandatory, so that I was protecting them."

Testing

Scotland's Chief Veterinary Officer, Charles Milne, announced on Thursday that a surveillance zone was being extended to 965 sq miles (2,500 sq km).

Poultry owners within the wild bird risk area must keep birds indoors or, if not possible, ensure they are kept away from wild birds.

Bird transport within 6 mile (10km) surveillance zone will be curbed and gatherings banned.

Poultry within a 1.8-mile (3km) protection zone must be kept indoors and will be tested.

The zone contains 175 registered premises, with 3.1 million poultry.

About 48 were free-range premises with 260,000 birds

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