The wildlife of Gloucestershire could be at risk of becoming seriously ill with the new fatal Avian Influenza outbreak confirmed nearby.
The flu was first confirmed in Great Britain on November 3 and cases have recently been found in areas such as the Forest of Dean in the Gloucestershire region.
The disease is highly contagious and birds affected by this fatal illness will be humanely culled to help contain it.
Kathy Williams, a Gloucester representative for the Conservative council, told the BBC: “It’s bad enough at any time but my sympathies go out to all those breeders who are preparing their stock for Christmas.”
The Avian bird flu outbreak can occur all throughout the year, but with the natural migration patterns during the winter season, the chance of the infection spreading among wildlife is much higher.
Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s chief vet, shows much concern over the spread. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, she says: “We now have a total of 40 infected premises in the UK – that’s a really high number for anything we’ve experienced before.”
The figures show that the cases have almost doubled from the previous winter.
She continues to say: “The total number is something like half-a-million will now have been culled.”
It has been questioned as to whether climate change is the cause of the increased cases and Ms Middlemiss replies: “it’s quite plausible that with climate change and change in pathways that different mixing [of cultural species] is going on.”
The risk to human health is low but infected birds should not be handled. The chief vet urges people to “practice routine hygiene precautions.”
