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Experts warn on the spread of bird flu across the UK

The lethal avian flu virus found in a swan in Scotland is almost certain to spread to wild birds across the UK before threatening the poultry industry, experts warned on Thursday.

Their prediction came as a further 14 swans were being tested for the deadly H5N1 virus that scientists yesterday confirmed had killed the mute swan found in the village of Cellardyke in Fife, eastern Scotland.

The investigation has now shifted focus to how the bird became infected.

Professor Albert Osterhaus, an expert on avian flu at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, said the UK could now expect to see a similar spread of bird flu as has been witnessed in Germany.

There the virus has spread slowly among wild birds but yesterday reached a poultry farm. Osterhaus warned the virus could also spread through domestic cats and be passed on by them to poultry farms.

Bob McCracken, a former president of the British Veterinary Association, said: "We have to accept the situation that the virus will be spreading among wild birds in the Fife area and probably through time will spread to other parts of the UK. That's the reality."

Yesterday farmers outside a 10km surveillance zone already in place in Fife, were ordered to move free-range and organic poultry inside. The precaution was in addition to instructions to the owners of millions of birds within the zone to restrict the transport of poultry products to isolate them from wild flocks.

There were recriminations during the day from local people at the speed with which the authorities had removed and tested the contaminated carcass, which was seen moving with the tide in the village's small harbor for days. It was not until Thursday last week that the partially eaten remains were removed by the Scottish authorities for tests.

Tina Briscoe, a university researcher who raised the alarm after spotting the dead bird, said: "It was reported in the evening to Defra [the UK's Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs] and they collected the bird around lunchtime, about 12:30pm or so, the following day. I would have expected a quicker reaction, particularly because in the tidal water it could have been washed away or cats could have picked on it."
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