Has Bird Flu Reached UK?

[Ravenfire]

A suspected case of bird flu is being investigated in Scotland.

The Scottish Executive said preliminary findings indicated it was the H5 virus.

The suspected case was found in Fife.

However, it is said to be too early to know if the bird has fallen victim to the deadly H5N1 strain.

It is that type of the virus which has killed more than 100 people worldwide.

If confirmed, it would be the first case in the United Kingdom.

EU countries with confirmed cases of the H5N1 strain of the disease are: France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Sweden and Denmark.

So far, humans have caught the infection from birds.

But experts fear that if it mutates into a form transmissible between people it could kill millions worldwide.

[Ravenfire]

Apparently it has now been confirmed!

[kathyhinsh]

OMG!!! http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b117/kathyhinsh/Smilies/new_shocked.gif

[weaselgirl]

:smiley-fa Scarey stuff.I didn't see this on the news earlier.

[Tess]

oh errr...just watching the news now!!!..a swan in Fife..Scotland...scarey stufff....don't realise how bad it is until it reaches home!

[Lemon]

Apparently they will confirm tomorrow whether it is the HN51 !!! OMG !!! We won't be going to feed the ducks for a while !!

[xmisscx]

we went for a walk in Wales yesterday with Mats mum/sdad and ended up phoning up (dunno who exactly lol) and reporting 4 birds (your sposed to report 3 or more I think) we seen altogether, didnt look like they were shot or anything. They are sending someone to go get them today and they will be tested, then they will call Mats mum back with the results....Then that came on the news last night....me and my irrational pregnancy thoughts went into overdrive. Hopefully nothing will come of it but its worrying isnt it.

[Sarah]

I'm not scared at all. In every case where a human has contracted the disease, that person has been in direct contact with a dead - infected bird. So as long as we don't go round touching any dead birds we should be fine ;)

[Ravenfire]

At the moment yes...but what they are worried about is once it starts being spread from human to human I think.

[Sarah]

Has it ever done that Toni? I'm not at all up to date with current affairs.

[Ravenfire]

At present it hasnt done but apparently it can happen, heres some info:-

Concern is growing in the UK about the spread of bird flu from birds to humans and the possibility of the H5N1 virus mutating so it can pass easily from human to human.

The case of a cat in Germany dying of bird flu has also raised fears for pets.

What is the likelihood of the virus getting to the stage where it is possible for humans to pass it on to each other and it becoming a pandemic?

The likelihood exists but is very, very low.

This current epidemic of avian flu in birds has been going strong now for two years and so far the virus has not mutated to pass from humans to humans, but it still might.

However, it really is impossible to predict when that might happen.

Vaccine development is making good progress. Many clinical trials are now underway to assess H5N1 vaccines and they are at different stages.

The main issues are determining how much vaccine has to go into each dose to provide protection, and finding ways to reduce this so that in the event of a pandemic, there will be plenty to go around.

In the event of a pandemic, vaccine will ultimately be available to everyone in the UK

[cuddlykitten]

cryingsmil i live in dundee which is not far from fife, so its not that far from me.

[Sarah]

Thanks for the info Toni. I'm not gonna worry, I remember worrying myself stupid about mad cow disease (bse) and that came to virtually nothing. So I'm just going to be sensible and tell the children not to touch any dead (or live) birds.

[Jess85]

Chickens have been slaughtered after the bird flu virus was detected in Norfolk cryingsmil

[Lemon]

:smiley-fa :smiley-fa I live in Norfolk !

Right that's it, no more feeding the ducks ! Sorry ducks.

[smirnoff]

Thanks toni for keeping us all up to date... i haven't seemed to have caught up with the news for ages!!! Cbeebies dont do news... or do jetix....(clashes with power rangers so i am told!!)

[Easties]

though im not too worried at the moment i will be keeping away from ducks ect and to be honest i think it was inevetable that we were gonna get it here like we did with foot and mouth i just hope it dosent get as serious as foot and mouth did :crossfing

[Netty]

We are still feeding the ducks (and geese).

The reception class at our school usually get eggs and an incubator in from a local farm before Easter. The kids help look after the eggs (turning them everyday etc) and then get to (hopefully) see the chicks hatch out. They are then returned to the farm at the Easter hols.

It didn't happen this year (think dd is still waiting for them to arrive, lol). I suppose it was a case of "better safe than sorry" but the other local school still did it this year (they use the same farm) and they got a picture in the local paper too!

[vikki]

I am not saying that this isn't something to worry about, but HIV was transmitted from monkeys, It was worldwide panic and now hardly mentioned other than in poorer countries. Yet its the silent killer and way more dangerous than this, I like being informed of whats happening, but just wish the press were not so quick to leave stories behind.

Sorry, will get off my soap box now!