As the United Kingdom is fighting hard to contain the coronavirus pandemic, authorities have found bird flu at a turkey farm in northern England. The detection of bird flu is being taken very seriously by authorities as it happened just a few weeks before Christmas.
Infected birds to be culled
Government authorities revealed that all the 10,500 infected birds at the farm will be humanely culled to prevent the further spread of the illness. According to the latest updates, a detailed investigation is now underway to determine the source of the H5N8 outbreak.
Authorities have also set up a 3-kilometer and 10-kilometer temporary control zone to limit the risk of disease spreading.
Is bird fly dangerous to humans?
Public Health England (PHE) and the Food Standards Agency have requested the public not to panic, and they made it clear that it is completely safe to eat properly cooked poultry products including meat and egg.
"Avian flu has been confirmed at a commercial turkey fattening farm near Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Immediate steps have been taken to limit the risk of the disease spreading and all the remaining turkeys at the farm will be culled. PHE has confirmed that the risk to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency advises that bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers," said Christine Middlemiss, UK chief veterinary officer.
Middlemiss also urged birdkeepers in the country to remain alert for any signs of the disease. She also asked them to maintain good biosecurity in their premises and requested everyone to report suspected disease immediately.
In the meantime, the United Kingdom has been witnessing a drastic rise in coronavirus cases for the last couple of weeks. As Christmas is nearing, medical experts believe that uncontrolled celebrations could lead to a potential third wave outbreak.
