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A spate of baffling swan deaths is strongly suspected to be caused by a virulent new strain of avian flu sweeping across Britain.
Dying swans were found spinning in circles and discharging blood from their nostrils on Ulverston canal, Cumbria. Swan rescuers have taken in more than 25 dying birds in Worcestershire and nine swans were found dead in Stanley Park, Blackpool. Postmortem examinations have confirmed that six black swans and cygnets that died in Dawlish, Devon, had contracted the latest strain of bird flu, H5N8.
Brought in by wild birds migrating across Europe, the strain last caused widespread avian deaths in the winter of 2016-17. The risk to human health from the virus is very low, according to Public Health England.
Fears are growing that the virus will wipe out chickens and other poultry this winter, with outbreaks already confirmed among captive birds in Kent, Cheshire, Leicestershire, and chickens at a broiler breeding farm in Herefordshire.
The government has declared an avian influenza prevention zone across England, Scotland and Wales, requiring all bird keepers to follow strict biosecurity measures.
While the virus is particularly visible in swans and large wildfowl, other wild bird deaths confirmed this month include pink-footed geese, greylag geese, Canada geese, buzzards and curlews.
Dying swans were found spinning in circles and discharging blood from their nostrils on Ulverston canal, Cumbria. Swan rescuers have taken in more than 25 dying birds in Worcestershire and nine swans were found dead in Stanley Park, Blackpool. Postmortem examinations have confirmed that six black swans and cygnets that died in Dawlish, Devon, had contracted the latest strain of bird flu, H5N8.
Brought in by wild birds migrating across Europe, the strain last caused widespread avian deaths in the winter of 2016-17. The risk to human health from the virus is very low, according to Public Health England.
Fears are growing that the virus will wipe out chickens and other poultry this winter, with outbreaks already confirmed among captive birds in Kent, Cheshire, Leicestershire, and chickens at a broiler breeding farm in Herefordshire.
The government has declared an avian influenza prevention zone across England, Scotland and Wales, requiring all bird keepers to follow strict biosecurity measures.
While the virus is particularly visible in swans and large wildfowl, other wild bird deaths confirmed this month include pink-footed geese, greylag geese, Canada geese, buzzards and curlews.
Bird flu fears grow after spate of mysterious UK swan deaths
Virus causing ‘high levels of mortality’ in birds, with risk to chickens and other poultry
www.theguardian.com
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