Confirmation Of Second Bird Flu Outbreak

Anyone who has been in contact with the birds has been given Tamiflu

We recently reported on a possible second instance of the deadly bird flu virus being found in the United Kingdom and now health officials have given confirmation that in fact the turkeys in question did die from the virus. The farm which is very close to the original case of the bird flu breaking out in the United Kingdom on the Norfolk/Suffolk will now be subjected to the same standard of precautions as the original farm. This means that a ten kilometre surveillance area will be set up around the farm and also a 3 kilometre exclusion area.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or Defra for short confirmed that Hill Meadows Farm is actually just outside the 3km exclusion zone around the original bird flu outbreak at Redgrave Park. Bird flu experts said that there was no doubt that the second case had originated from contact with birds at the first farm especially as people who work on the first farm are known to have been also working on the second farm at the same time.

In all it is estimated that almost 30,000 turkeys have been culled in farms in the area which is extremely bad news for farmers. Obviously the turkeys were being bred for use over Christmas time and there are fears that turkeys will be in short supply if the bird flu virus continues spreading around the United Kingdom over the next few months.

Officials from Defra are inspecting farms in the area around Norfolk and Suffolk to make sure that the virus has not spread further a field. The financial implications for farmers are huge and therefore it is essential that the bird flu virus is stamped out quickly before it spreads around the country. All the workers involved at the farms or anyone who has been in contact with the birds has been given the influenza medicine Tamiflu as a precaution.

No person has ever died of the bird flu virus in the United Kingdom or in fact in Europe but nevertheless in view of over 200 individuals that have passed away from contracting the virus in other parts of the world it was thought prudent to be on the safe side and hand out the Tamiflu liberally.