Bird flu hits England again

The highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 bird flu has reached England for a second time this year with a confirmed case on a turkey farm on the Suffolk-Norfolk county border. Some 5 000 turkeys, 1 000 ducks and 400 geese on the farm were culled, along with 24 000 turkeys at four other farms. P oultry movement within 10km of the affected area is banned and poultry must be isolated from wild birds in a wider restricted zone. Movement within but not out of this zone is allowed. Chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg says the flu strain is closely related to the strains found earlier in the Czech Republic and Germany. Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary of State Hilary Benn says a national general licence on bird gatherings had been revoked. An outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in February saw 159 000 turkeys culled. – Alan Harman