April 10, 2006

 

Tests in Scotland show bird flu has not spread

 

 

Wildlife health officers wearing hazard suits, face masks, eye goggles and gloves scoured Scotland on Saturday (Apr 8), checking for dead and ailing birds in the wake of the UK's first confirmed case of the HN51 bird flu virus.

 

Results confirmed on Saturday that five dead birds sent to a laboratory for testing were not infected with HN51, Charles Milne, Scotland's chief veterinary officer said.

 

He confirmed late Friday that tests on nine birds in Scotland and six swans in Northern Ireland had also proved negative for the strain, which has been linked to the deaths of 109 people since a wave of outbreaks swept through Asian poultry populations in late 2003.

 

The Scottish government said 22 more dead birds have been collected for testing from a heavily policed protection zone close to the harbour town where a swan infected with HN51 was discovered.

 

A dead swan was found in Cellardyke, a town more than 450 miles north of London, 10 days ago and confirmed as suffering from HN51 on Thursday.

 

Birds within a 3-kilometre protected area and a 10-kilometre surveillance zone established around the site are being sampled by officials.

 

"As of this moment, we've got no positive results--all the results are negative," said Derick McIntosh, the head of veterinary operations for Scotland's government.

 

Farming unions have urged the public not to overreact to the first case of HN51 in a wild bird in Britain, amid fears the effect could be devastating to Scotland's rural economy.

 

The National Farmers' Union said Scotland's poultry industry is worth more than US$202 million per year.

 

Poultry farmers have been preparing for the crucial Easter period, traditionally expected to boost sales of poultry products.