UK: Bird Flu False Alarm in Edinburgh?

[Gert van der Hoek]

Bird flu detected in Edinburgh



BIRD flu has been detected at an Edinburgh farm sparking fears of an outbreak in the Capital.

Routine tests by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found strains of the virus in some birds at the farm - believed to be Easter Norton Farm, in Newbridge.

However, veterinary experts at the scene do not believe it is the more dangerous H5N1 strain of the virus – which is potentially deadly to humans.

Secondary tests are currently being carried with the results expected by the end of the day.

At Easter Norton Farm this afternoon, there was a sign on the gate banning all entry without permission and ordering that all vehicles which do enter have their wheels disinfected first, under the Animal Health Act 1981 and Avian Influenza or Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals. A bucket of disinfectant was left by the gate.

William Pollock, from the farm, said: "Nobody is allowed in or out, that is all we can say just now."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "At the moment routine follow up tests are being carried out. There are no causes for concern."

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Bird-flu-detected-in-Edinburgh.3880699.jp

[HenryN]

Re: UK: Bird flu detected in Edinburgh

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03140803/BF_Scotland.html

[HenryN]

Re: UK: Bird flu detected in Edinburgh

Chickens at farm outside the capital tested for suspected bird flu

TESTS were being carried out last night after signs of suspected bird flu were found at a farm on the edge of Edinburgh.

Workers at Easter Norton Farm, near Edinburgh Airport, are believed to have raised the alarm and called in veterinary experts to examine a number of chickens.

A warning sign at the entrance to the poultry farm, at Newbridge, banned all vehicles from entering without permission yesterday.

However, sources said the tests were routine and insisted there was "no cause for alarm".

It is understood there have been no signs of the H5N1 strain, which is potentially deadly to humans.

The Scottish Government was last night playing down fears of a bird flu outbreak in the capital. A spokeswoman said: "There has been no outbreak of avian influenza. The Animal Health Agency is undertaking routine precautionary investigations into a potential notifiable disease at a premises in the Edinburgh area."

A spokesman for Edinburgh City Council said: "We're currently awaiting further information from the Scottish Government.

"Well rehearsed and robust plans are in place should they be required," he said.



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The full article contains 192 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Last Updated: 14 March 2008 9:52 PM

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Chickens-at-farm-outside-the.3881822.jp

[HenryN]

Re: UK: Bird flu detected in Edinburgh

Chickens at farm outside the capital tested for suspected bird flu


It is understood there have been no signs of the H5N1 strain, which is potentially deadly to humans.

"Well rehearsed and robust plans are in place should they be required," he said.

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Ch...the.3881822.jp

"No signs" can mean test results are not in yet (or have not been conveyed to spokeperson or media).

[Niko]

Re: UK: Bird flu detected in Edinburgh

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03..._Scotland.html

<big><big>Commentary </big></big>

Bird Flu Detected in Scotland

Recombinomics Commentary 17:11
March 14, 2008

BIRD flu has been detected at an Edinburgh farm sparking fears of an outbreak in the Capital.

Routine tests by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found strains of the virus in some birds at the farm - believed to be Easter Norton Farm, in Newbridge.

The above comments suggest that bird flu has once again been detected in Great Britain. In the recent past, both H5N1 and H7 outbreaks have been reported, including H5N1 in Scotland.

Media reports suggest the current outbreak is not H5N1, which is likely based on mortality. However, the type of bird infected has not been released, and H5N1 can produce asymptomatic infections in waterfowl.

More detail on the species and symptoms would be useful, although more detail on the virus is expected shortly.

Media Links

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: UK: Bird flu detected in Edinburgh

Are there areas in recent Scottish H5N1 poultry infections that are the same as the 1959 Scottish chicken H5N1?

If so, I'm not sure what that means, if anything, but it may tell us something.

.

[sharon sanders]

Re: UK: Bird flu detected in Edinburgh?

Hat tip Senior Moderator Fla Medic

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/

Edinburgh `Bird Flu' A False Alarm?




# 1797



Well, that's what the Scottish authorities are saying this morning.

Farm set to get the all-clear after bird flu alert false alarm



""There has been no outbreak of avian influenza in Scotland" Scottish Government spokeswoman"


By Gareth Rose and Charlotte Bailey

A FARM at the centre of a bird flu scare is set to be given the all-clear after initial tests on diseased poultry came back negative.


It is not known what affected the birds at Easter Norton Farm, near Newbridge, but Government experts do not now believe it is an infectious disease.


A major alert was declared after random tests, carried out by the farm, found "abnormalities" in some of its 15,000-plus chickens on Wednesday.


The discovery led to an immediate shutdown of production, and experts from the Scottish Government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) were called in to carry out further tests.


A Scottish Government spokeswoman said today: "All the tests so far have come back as negative."


She expected that the final test results would be available on Monday, and restrictions on the farm would remain in place until then.