UK targeting specific areas in bird flu fight
September 19th, 2006
Britain officials announced a new plan meant to monitor and carry out testing in different areas around the country where the deadly H5N1 virus strain is likely to appear. Also, a number of species will be tested for the disease, with particular attention paid to ducks, geese, swans, gulls and waders, the most likely to carry and transmit a deadly avian influenza strain in the United Kingdom. DEFRA (The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) will be focusing its surveillance activity and testing on samples taken from wild birds in those areas that have a high number of migrating waterfowl and larger poultry populations. A single case of the H5N1 virus was found so far in the country, in a dead swan found in Scotland back in April.