Avian Flu

House of Lords written statement – made at on 27 April 2006.

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Photo of Lord Bach Lord Bach Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (Farming, Food and Sustainable Energy)

On 26 April preliminary tests indicated that the avian influenza virus was present in samples from chickens on a poultry farm near Dereham in Norfolk.

Further tests are being carried out to determine the strain of the virus and the pathogenicity. We will continue to keep the House and the public informed as the results become known. The preliminary test results show that it is likely to be the H7 strain of avian influenza, and not H5N1.

As a precautionary measure, birds on the premises (34,500 chickens) are being slaughtered on suspicion of an avian notifiable disease. Restrictions have been placed on the farm and an associated hatchery. In addition, restrictions are being served on the further premises owned by the poultry company as a precautionary measure. Movements on and off these premises may be permitted under licence and approval from the State Veterinary Service. When the additional laboratory results are known, further action may be taken.

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Marc Evans
Posted on 3 May 2006 10:15 am (Report this annotation)

Lord Bach, recently it was reported on the BBC that something close to Avian Influenza was found in a human male in norfolk. What is the goverment going to do to stop this from turing to the deadly HN51 virus and becoming a pandemic?

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