Bird flu in United Kingdom

United Kingdom is the common name for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - country occupying most of the British Isles in the northwest coast of mainland Europe. The territory is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea. The political union is formed of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, along with several overseas territories. It is a highly industrialised country with the fifth largest GDP in the world.

Britain preparing for massive exercise

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006

A massive exercise will be organized next month, preparing the nation for the danger of a possible bird flu outbreak. This will include parts of the country being sealed off and patrolled by the police. The operation bears the name “Winter Willow” and all emergency services are expected to actively take part in it, as well as town hall officials and government ministers. Emergency centres will be set up in certain areas and people will be prevented from entering the exclusion zones. The plan has been set up among growing concern that the disease could be mutated into a form easily passed on from person to person. Estimates say that up to 7 million Britons could fall victims to such a pandemic.

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UK lacking sufficient flu drug supplies

Wednesday, November 22nd, 2006

A group of British scientists and health specialists warn that the stockpile of antiviral drugs that the UK holds at the moment is worrying, as it might leave the country vulnerable to a global avian influenza pandemic. They say that the government is not fully utilizing the advice it receives. In a report published by the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Department of Health is advised to urgently revisit its decision about stockpiling a single antiviral drug, Tamiflu, as recent discoveries about the highly pathogenic strain of the virus suggest that it is able to develop immunity to the drug.

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UK targeting specific areas in bird flu fight

Tuesday, 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.

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New hand care product effective against bird flu virus

Tuesday, September 12th, 2006
A British producer and distributor of a wide range of skin health care products has confirmed that one of its new products, a hand gel, has tested positive for killing the highly pathogenic avian virus withing 30 seconds after a single application. Dermasalve Sciences PLC claims these findings have received independent confirmatory test documentation from a European contract Virology research company for this product, which was developed along with Drug Delivery Solutions Limited. The tests have given a result of 99.99% effectiveness in killing the virus within a 30 second time period. The gel seems to remain active for at least 30 minutes after the application. Production of the substance will begin in October this year.

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Bird flu and the UK

Monday, June 26th, 2006
Bird flu cases in the UK have not been spotted yet, however with the world spread possibility of virus occurrances the future might bring the disease to the British Isles. The British boast the main testing laboratory for bird flu, at Weybridge. Whether you live in the UK or elsewhere, you will find the bird flu information here useful.

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