Farm workers told bird flu risk "very low"
Wednesday, 07 Feb 2007 20:46
Workers employed on the farm in Suffolk where an outbreak of avian flu has been reported have been told by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) that the risk of them contracting the disease is "very low".
The announcement comes as a second worker on the Bernard Matthews-owned farm is being tested after showing symptoms related to the illness.
A vet who was tested after developing similar symptoms was cleared earlier today and Dr Jonathan van Tam, a HPA flu expert, has said he does not expect any workers to contract the potentially fatal H5N1 strain.
"It is important to remember that H5N1 avian flu remains largely a disease of birds," Dr Van Tam explained.
"The virus does not transmit easily to humans, as evidenced by the 270 or so confirmed infections worldwide to date, versus the millions of people exposed to poultry everyday in south-east Asia.
"Almost all human H5N1 infections so far have been associated with close contact with dead or dying poultry and in all human cases there has been no evidence of efficient human to human transmission."
Dr Van Tam also revealed the local health protection unit of the HPA was working with Defra, the local NHS and the state veterinary service "to ensure that all workers involved are provided with antiviral drugs and given the necessary information and advice so they can monitor their own health and report any symptoms".
"The risk of workers being exposed to the virus is, however, very low as they are following strict advice concerning protective clothing and hygiene, alongside being given antiviral drugs," he added.
The winter season is characterised by flu-like symptoms, coughs and colds and Dr Van Tam was clear that many of the symptoms shown by workers at the Suffolk farm were far more likely to stem from these far less serious illnesses than avian flu.End of story
Wednesday, 07 Feb 2007 20:46
Workers employed on the farm in Suffolk where an outbreak of avian flu has been reported have been told by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) that the risk of them contracting the disease is "very low".
The announcement comes as a second worker on the Bernard Matthews-owned farm is being tested after showing symptoms related to the illness.
A vet who was tested after developing similar symptoms was cleared earlier today and Dr Jonathan van Tam, a HPA flu expert, has said he does not expect any workers to contract the potentially fatal H5N1 strain.
"It is important to remember that H5N1 avian flu remains largely a disease of birds," Dr Van Tam explained.
"The virus does not transmit easily to humans, as evidenced by the 270 or so confirmed infections worldwide to date, versus the millions of people exposed to poultry everyday in south-east Asia.
"Almost all human H5N1 infections so far have been associated with close contact with dead or dying poultry and in all human cases there has been no evidence of efficient human to human transmission."
Dr Van Tam also revealed the local health protection unit of the HPA was working with Defra, the local NHS and the state veterinary service "to ensure that all workers involved are provided with antiviral drugs and given the necessary information and advice so they can monitor their own health and report any symptoms".
"The risk of workers being exposed to the virus is, however, very low as they are following strict advice concerning protective clothing and hygiene, alongside being given antiviral drugs," he added.
The winter season is characterised by flu-like symptoms, coughs and colds and Dr Van Tam was clear that many of the symptoms shown by workers at the Suffolk farm were far more likely to stem from these far less serious illnesses than avian flu.End of story