Bird Flu 'Delay' Attacked

Updated:04:26, Friday April 07, 2006

Critics have attacked the Government for taking more than a week to establish that Britain had been infected with deadly bird flu.

Swans are being tested for H5N1

Authorities have confirmed a dead swan found in Scotland did have the feared H5N1 strain.

The swan was found washed up in the harbour of the coastal village of Cellardyke in Fife last Wednesday. However, it was not collected by officials until the following day and confirmation that it was infected with H5N1 did not arrive for another week.

The Government defended itself against criticism over the delay: "As the swan sample was part of our countrywide surveillance programme, preliminary work was carried out on Friday in preparation for testing on Monday," a spokesman said.

"It is vital that test results are accurate and, because of the badly decomposed state of this sample, a number of tests were carried out.

"It is important to note that since February 21 the lab at Weybridge has tested over 1,100 samples as part of our routine surveillance of the country's wild bird population."

Twelve more swans and two other birds, all from Scotland, are now being tested for the virus.

An RSPB spokesman told Sky News: "The critical thing here is to keep it in perspective.

"It's H5N1 - it's still a bird disease. It does not mean a human flu pandemic that's landed in Britain."

Officer at the harbour where the swan was found

The swan was a mute, which is one of three types in the UK which do not normally migrate, so it could have come into contact with other infected birds.

Chief veterinary officer Charles Milne told an Edinburgh press conference a "wild bird risk area" would be set up in a 2,500-square kilometre area to the east of the M90 motorway.

He said: "We are proposing to issue a veterinary directive to owners of poultry to house their birds where possible."

A statement by the Scottish Executive said: "There is no reason for public health concern.

The dead swan was found eight days ago

"Avian influenza is a disease of birds and whilst it can pass very rarely and with difficulty to humans this requires extremely close contact with infected birds."

Researcher Dan Brown, who first reported the swan to the authorities, said it appeared to have been "pecked at or eaten by something. It was torn open".

The H5N1 strain has killed more than 100 people worldwide.

Experts fear, if it mutates into a form that can pass between people, millions could die across the globe.

:: Anyone who finds a dead swan, duck or goose, or three or more dead wild or garden birds together, are advised to contact the DEFRA helpline, which is 08459 335 577. But a single, small bird should be left alone and the department need not be contacted.

See our interactive map of the world which charts the spread of bird flu.