AVIAN INFLUENZA
Letter from Lord Bach, Minister for Sustainable
Farming and Food, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
to the Chairman
I am writing to all peers to bring to their
attention important information relating to avian influenza ("bird
flu") and seeking your co-operation in making this information
available to other interested groups and individuals where relevant.
Avian influenza is a disease of birds, not humans.
People can become infected but rarely are. There are many strains
of avian influenza viruses which vary in their ability to cause
disease. The most severe form of the disease (highly pathogenic)
is a notifiable disease which was last confirmed in the United
Kingdom in 1991. Recent outbreaks of a new form of the virus,
H5N1, have arisen in the Far East, Eastern Europe, Africa and
most recently in EU member states such as France and Germany (though
mainly in wild birds in Western Europe).
Defra has been following the global situation
on avian influenza very closely. Following the increasing number
of outbreaks in EU member states, Defra recently published an
updated Qualitative Risk Assessment on its website. The conclusions
of that assessment confirm that following confirmation of the
virus in eastern France there is an increased likelihood that
highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus may be found in the
UK.
We have existing robust surveillance measures
in place and have taken over 3,500 samples from wild birds, which
so far have not detected H5N1 in the UK. Surveillance will continue
at a high level and the general public can play its part by reporting
to the Defra helpline on 08459 33 55 77, any unusual wild bird
deaths.
On the basis of current scientific evidence,
the Food Standards Agency advises that avian flu does not pose
a food safety risk for UK consumers. This is because for people,
the risk of catching the disease is from being in close contact
with live poultry that have the disease and not through eating
cooked poultry, game or eggs.
Defra has worked closely with the UK poultry
industry, independent experts and other stakeholders in Government
and beyond to ensure the UK is thoroughly prepared to prevent
an outbreak of avian influenza and have robust plans in place
to contain and eradicate it if it does occur.
We believe that swift detection, stamping out,
good biosecurity practices and the imposition of movement controls
around the infected premises is the most effective and efficient
approach to disease control. There is a danger that using current
vaccines may delay the time taken to detect disease by concealing
the virus but not preventing its spread and may put non-vaccinated
birds and even poultry workers at risk of disease; the vaccines
currently available require individual injection of each bird
and can take between 1-3 weeks to build immunity (with booster
doses possibly required). However, Defra is exploring the potential
role of vaccination against Avian Influenza as technology and
circumstances develop and will keep the situation under close
review.
Defra is working closely with a wide range of
stakeholders, including the poultry industry, processors, retailers,
consumers and conservation groups, and has reached a broad consensus
that there are limited circumstances, such as zoo birds, where
we may wish to vaccinate in an increased level of risk.
Our work with stakeholders has also helped to
agree practical measures and guidance for poultry keepers including
arrangements for isolating birds from wild birds in the event
the risk is assessed as "high".
One of these measures is the Great Britain Poultry
Register[75]
which opened on 9 December 2005. Defra, the Scottish Executive
and the Welsh Assembly Government have developed the GB Register
to gather essential information about poultry, game and other
birds for the purposes of risk assessment, disease prevention
and control.
If we have up-to-date information on where birds
are and how many there are, we will be able to manage a disease
outbreak by targeting resources where they are needed most and
help communicate with bird keepers more quickly.
By law, only keepers of 50 or more poultry,
game and certain other types of bird needed to have registered
by 28 February 2006. However, we are encouraging all owners of
flocks of fewer than 50 birds to register voluntarily to enhance
the value of the register to all concerned, both in terms of improving
contingency planning and improving our ability to communicate
with poultry keepers. The register remains open to capture voluntary
registrations, and to allow those who have already registered
to amend their details if necessary.
I would be grateful if you could share this
information with interested groups and individuals who keep poultry,
game or other birds. I would also like to seek your help in encouraging
bird keepers to register (or find out more) as soon as possible
by calling freephone 0800 634 1112.
There are a number of avian influenza-related
publications available which have been agreed in consultation
with stakeholders about how to improve biosecurity and minimise
contact with wild bird populations. An order form has been included
with this letter(not printed). Copies of all these materials,
including bilingual Welsh/English versions, can be requested by
calling 08459 55 6000.
6 April 2007
75 The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
for Northern Ireland is also capturing data about poultry premises
but on a separate database. Back
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