British health officials confirmed Tuesday the presence of the deadly strain of bird flu was found on a turkey farm in eastern England.

About 5,000 turkeys, 1,000 ducks and 500 geese were expected to be culled after the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain was found, The Independent reported Tuesday.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn was to brief the House of Commons on officials' progress in responding to the outbreak, the British newspaper said.

A 2-mile buffer zone and a 6-mile surveillance zone were created around the infected farm in East Anglia, officials said. Other restrictions were imposed throughout Suffolk County and much of neighboring Norfolk County northeast of London.

The outbreak is the second for Britain this year. In February, about 130,000 birds were slaughtered after the H5N1strain was found.

Besides being highly contagious among bird populations, health officials said this type could be spread from birds to humans, CNN reported.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International



Publication date: 13 November 2007   

Source:

Archive