No sign of bird flu at WWT (From Gazette Series)

No sign of bird flu at WWT

TESTS carried out on migratory birds at a popular Severnside nature reserve have shown no signs of bird flu.

Families will be able to eat their turkeys without worrying about the fatal strain of avian flu HN51 which killed six people in South East Asia earlier this year and prompted an international scare.

Experts started screening birds at The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge in October to make sure that they are not carrying the fatal strain and of 472 samples tested none have shown the disease is present.

Samples have also been taken from dead birds shot legally by wildfowlers - in 121 samples taken from a 205 samples received, none have shown signs of bird flu.

A spokesman for the WWT said: "The current consensus is that the risk of migratory birds bringing highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza into the UK is low. The disease is not in the UK at present so the risk from visiting places where there are wild birds, including WWT centres, is negligible."

The WWT will continue to work with BirdLife International, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the British Trust for Ornithology, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), Defra and other agencies to evaluate the risk from avian influenza on an on-going basis and to conduct an avian influenza surveillance programme in the UK.

Despite no signs of the disease poultry keepers across the district have been urged to start registering their birds as part of a new scheme to boost Government and industry's ability to effectively tackle an outbreak of avian flu.

The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) Regulations 2005 require those who usually keep 50 or more poultry on a commercial poultry premises to register their birds.

The database, set up by Defra has been introduced to help deal with the situation should an outbreak occur.

Defra minister Ben Bradshaw said: "Currently no central database of poultry flocks exists. The aim of the register is to gather essential information about birds on commercial premises across Great Britain so we can build up a better picture of the size, type and proximity of flocks.

"We do not want to create more Government red tape. This should be seen as an essential disease prevention measure. The information on this register will help us improve our contingency planning to help manage any potential disease outbreak."

National Farmer's Union Poultry Board chairman Charles Bournes said: "This register will enhance already existing contingency measures and it has our full support. Commercial poultry keepers must register their birds at the earliest possible time to ensure our valuable industry is best placed to deal with any potential disease outbreak."

Poultry owners have until February 28 2006 to register their birds. To register call the Defra helpline on 0800 6341112 or visit www.defra.gov.uk