Sunday, April 09, 2006
Bird flu
"Fit" bird seen in Shields Park!
All right!........Own up if the picture was not what you were expecting.
Following the finding of a dead swan, consequently proved to have had the H5N1 avian flu virus, in Cellardyke, Fife, over 2,500 dead birds have been reported in the U.K. since Friday. Laboratories have stayed open all weekend and so far no other cases of avian flu have been found. A number of dead fowl were found at Linton, near Morpeth only a few miles from here, however a visit to the South Marine Park in South Shields this morning found our colony of swans alive and well with no signs of panic or apprehension from the gaggle of parents and toddlers happily feeding bread to them (a Sunday morning custom in these parts.)
Unfortunately, it is more a question of when, rather than if, a widespread outbreak of the virus occurs within the U.K. and thousands of farmed birds will be at serious risk of a deadly cull, the consequences of which will include an economic disaster for farmers and consumers alike. We also need to worry, in the event of an outbreak, about public access to the South Marine Park and about more regular cleaning of the bird droppings around the lakeside. The park this morning had numerous areas covered with thick coatings of droppings, which children were innocently tramping through to reach the swans with their supplies of bread.
Of greater concern is the so far accepted view that the bird flu virus will eventually mutate with a human flu virus to cause one of the greatest pandemics that the world will have suffered. Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's Chief Medical Officer, was reported in today's Sunday Times to have written to Jacqui Smith the Schools Minister advising that the excess deaths among schoolchildren have been modelled at over 100,000. He urges the minister to consider closing all schools on the outbreak of a pandemic for a minimum period of three weeks to try and reduce the death toll amongst youngsters by up to 50,000.
I personally worry about my own employment situation at the Corner Shop, which has a large expansive roof covered in bird droppings. When it rains, inevitably some of it enters the building through ventilation outlets, and some of the (infected) bird droppings will find themselves in the water droplets, putting at risk myself and my customers. Think of how many other large retail outlets, factories, or public buildings carry the same risks!
No need to frighten ourselves too much just yet, remember this is a disease in the bird population at present. It does not transmit easily amongst humans and does not replicate too well in our upper respiratory tracts, thus preventing infected humans from spreading it through coughs and sneezes. The only humans found to have had the disease worldwide have been those in close contact with infected birds, generally in a farming environment, those who have handled the bodies of infected birds, and those who have consumed infected fowl (including it's offal) without proper high temperature cooking.
The advice at present on the Council's website is as follows;
The DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk, advises that if you find a dead swan, goose or duck or three or more dead wild, garden birds together in the same place, report this to DEFRA via the help-line on 08459 33 55 77.
The current DEFRA help-line opening hours are Monday-Friday 8am-8pm and Saturday-Sunday 9am-6pm. They may wish to have the birds examined for signs of specific diseases. They will advise on what action you should take.
If the dead bird is a single, small garden, or wild bird then you do not need to call DEFRA. You should:
- leave it alone, or
- follow the guidelines on the DEFRA website for disposal.
The Sunday Times
BBC News
Defra
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Curly Born in 1956
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