It has finally happened.... bird flu is in the UK with a dead swan appearing in Scotland. The bird found in Fife was immediately tested on the orders of the Scottish Health Authorities and was found to contain the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus. Immediately on identification a quarantine zone was put into place near the place where the bird was found. The authorities are taking the threat seriously with a look out zone of 10km in all directions being extended around the location of the dead swan.

The H5N1 bird flu virus strain may kill people if they get extremely close contact with the birds. The authorities said that the infected bird was located in a place on the coast around 10 miles from the University town of St Andrews.

The news will come as a massive blow to farmers especially after the foot and mouth disease outbreak and mad cow disease a few years back, however the arrival in the UK was expected. A senior microbiologist from a Scottish University said that the UK was very prepared and organised to contain the virus and that the general population had nothing to worry about from the virus provided they took sensible precautions. He said however that vets and those in close contact with the infected birds must be extra vigilant.

Scientists say that the best defence for bird flu is containment and strict control on the movement of birds. Obviously this is not always possible but effrts must be made and the authorities must enforce the regulations. The UK government said that there is no need to stop eating chicken and other poultry dishes. This outbreak is not the first in the EU as others have been reported in wild fowl in France,Germany and Sweden but they were quickly contained.

Bird flu outbreaks in the EU have led to massive stocking up of Tamiflu the bird flu remedy considered to be the most effective and also a big drop in the amount of chicken eaten. Bird flu has only killed 100 people worldwide but millions of birds have died with the virus or have been culled to stop its spread.