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The first UK H5N1-type bird flu case in sheep has been confirmed in Yorkshire as authorities intensify efforts to avoid the mass outbreaks of the disease seen in US livestock.
The infection was identified after “routine surveillance of co-located livestock on a premises where avian influenza had been confirmed in captive birds”, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said on Monday.
UK officials played down the risks to livestock and people, but authorities and scientists have urged precautions to avoid a repeat of the widespread transmission seen in US poultry and cattle.
“Strict biosecurity measures have been implemented to prevent the further spread of disease,” said Christine Middlemiss, UK chief veterinary officer.
“While the risk to livestock remains low, I urge all animal owners to ensure scrupulous cleanliness is in place and to report any signs of infection to the Animal and Plant Health Agency immediately,” she added.
The US bird flu outbreak has led to culls of chickens and fears the virus might, at some point, mix genetic material with another pathogen and become more transmissible between humans. Some dozens of cases have been reported in people in the US, including a fatality in January.
The UK case added to evidence from the US and other countries that mammals could be infected with bird flu, said Meera Chand, emerging infection lead at the UK Health Security Agency.
“However, current evidence suggests that the avian influenza viruses we’re seeing circulating around the world do not spread easily to people — and the risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low,” Chand added.
This is a developing story
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