Ireland: Bird flu alert in Co Antrim, Ireland - tests negative

[Susie]

http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=72160

THURSDAY 06/04/2006 13:14:20

Bird flu alert in Co Antrim

There is a bird flu alert in County Antrim.


A sterile zone has been declared around a tourist site at Newferry, between Toome and Portglenone.

Department of Agriculture vets are examining two dead swans in case they have bird flu.


These swans are to be analysed at Stormont later this afternoon.

It follows the discovery of a case of the disease in Scotland.

The poultry industry says there is no need for people to be anxious about eating chicken.

The problem now facing UK authorities is how to prevent any contamination between wild birds such as swans and the poultry stock which end up on our dinner tables.

Measures are on standby if a case of bird flu is discovered in Northern Ireland including a 3km exclusion zone and a strict decontamination programme.

Of the 13 cases in the European Union, only two have been transferred to domestic poultry.

The poultry and egg industry in Northern Ireland was worth ?137 million last year, and accounts for nearly 15% of agricultural production.

The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) says there is no need to panic.

Tescos supermarkets say they have not experienced a downturn in chicken consumption since the avian flu situation arose in Europe.

They will be monitoring the situation following the news from Scotland.

 

[Susie]

6 dead swans tested in Ireland

6 dead swans tested in Ireland

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/04/06/story252843.html

Dead swans tested in Antrim

Six dead swans were today reported to authorities in the North in the wake of a confirmed case of bird flu in Scotland.

The British government said four carcasses were recovered in Portglenone, Co Antrim, and two in Moira, Co Down, this morning.

The remains will be tested at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development?s headquarters in Belfast in a move that has been standard practice for some time.

Bert Houston, chief veterinary officer for DARD, confirmed officials were working closely with their Scottish counterparts following the positive test in Fife.

But he forecast the North would be able to cope if the virus crosses the Irish Sea.

Mr Houston said: ?We have good contingency plans in place and have implemented all the EU requirements.?


He added: ?I am confident that if avian influenza did come to Northern Ireland we would be able to handle it.?

Mr Houston confirmed that the department?s helpline had been very busy this morning but said that was to be expected in light of the media coverage.

He said the worst case scenario would be an outbreak which would affect the commercial poultry industry.

But he said the position in the North was completely different to that in the Far East, where the industry was less advanced.

Liam McKibben, DARD?s director of animal health and welfare, said 350 dead and live-bird samples were tested between October and December last year.

This year, 25 wild bird carcasses have been submitted for tests.

All the results have come back negative.

 

[Bruce]

Re: Ireland: Bird flu alert in Co Antrim, Ireland

Re: Ireland: Bird flu alert in Co Antrim, Ireland

Bird-flu advisory group to meet today
The Government's bird-flu advisory group is due to meet later today following the discovery of a suspected case of the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus in Scotland.

British experts are currently examining samples taken from a dead swan found earlier this week in Fife.

The swan has tested positive for the H5 strain of bird flu, but it is not yet known if it is the deadly H5N1 sub-strain.

The virus, which has killed more than 100 people worldwide since late 2003, has already been found in several EU countries.

The Irish expert group is due to reassess Ireland's preparedness for the illness today in light of the British development.

Confirmation of an outbreak in Britain would put the Irish Government under pressure to boost its emergency measures to combat the illness.

So far, live poultry imports have been banned and limits have been placed on the importation of pet birds from outside the EU.

Poultry exhibitions and shows have also been banned, while information leaflets have been published for farmers and poultry workers and Minister for Health Mary Harney has ordered 40,000 vaccines, to be used in the event of an outbreak.

Asked about the matter this morning, Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan said she had confidence in the measures already undertaken and wanted to assure consumers that it is still safe to eat poultry as long as it is properly cooked.

http://www.online.ie/News/News.aspx?newsId=295735