UK - Suspected bird flu outbreak after a number of wild swans thought to be owned by the Queen reportedly died in Windsor

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Bird flu outbreak 'kills some of the Queen's swans' in Windsor

Telegraph Reporters
5 FEBRUARY 2018 ? 12:14AM

Officials are investigating a suspected outbreak of bird flu after a number of wild swans thought to be owned by the Queen reportedly died in Windsor.

Seven birds are feared to have died from H5N6 avian influenza, according to the Sun.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed it was investigating a suspected outbreak of the deadly strain in Berkshire, with results expected early next week.

It did not confirm the number of birds potentially affected or the number reported to have died.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/05/bird-flu-outbreak-kills-queens-swans-windsor/

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SWAN ACHE Queen ?profoundly upset? as seven swans from her Windsor flock are ?killed by bird flu?
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EXCLUSIVE

By Dan Sales and Jack Royston

4th February 2018, 10:30 pmUpdated: 5th February 2018, 12:16 am

SEVEN swans from the Queen?s flock at Windsor were feared to have been killed by bird flu.
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Officials are understood to be looking at a group of at least 13 birds.

A source said: ?Bird flu is feared to have struck the Windsor swan flock. They are waiting for the tests to come back but everyone suspects the worst. The results are expected early next week.?
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5499586/queens-swans-killed-by-bird-flu/

 

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Windsor Swans: Bird flu confirmed in Queen's flock

2 hours ago

An illness which led to the death of dozens of the Queen's swans in Windsor has been confirmed as bird flu, Defra has said.

More than 30 of the swans on the River Thames have died and several more are "still dying".

Seven of the dead birds were sent for testing on Monday after experts suspected an outbreak of avian flu.
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Wendy Hermon from Swan Support is leading the clear up and said she is still seeing more birds becoming ill.

"It seems to take 48 hours from the start of them not looking very well to when they die," she said.

Ms Hermon and her team are collecting dead birds "as quickly as they can from the water" in an effort to minimise the risk of the virus spreading.

She told the BBC "following advice from the [Health and Safety Executive], we are bagging them up and spraying them with disinfectant on site, so there is no risk of spread."
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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-berkshire-42975121