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Two drake Garganey on April 13th (GE) |
AVIAN INFLUENZA - latest news (25th April) |
The UK's greatest ever Avian Influenza or 'Bird Flu' epidemic
has greatly affected much of the country as well as Europe.
The H5NI virus originated in domestic poultry in China and has
increasingly infected migratory wild birds causing it, and other
variants, to spread extensively through Asia, Europe and Africa.
The virus is
spread by direct contact or through contaminated body fluids and
faeces. Please do not feed the wildfowl as this concentrates them
closely together and will spread the virus. Our local Mute
Swan herd has reduced from 63 birds on November 5th to 12 on
April 14th.
The table shows how the epidemic has
developed with each case involving many birds.
Week |
Cases |
Total |
43 of 2021 |
6 |
6 |
44 |
9 |
15 |
45 |
13 |
28 |
46 |
29 |
57 |
47 |
34 (including
Chasewater) |
91 |
48 |
40 |
131 |
49 |
24 |
155 |
50 |
18 |
173 |
51 |
16 |
189 |
52 |
16 |
205 |
1 of 2022 |
23 |
228 |
2 |
20 |
248 |
3 |
15 |
263 |
4 |
18 |
281 |
5 |
21 |
302 |
6 |
20 |
322 |
7 |
13 |
336 |
8 |
19 |
355 |
9 |
17 |
372 |
10 |
14 |
386 |
11 |
14 |
400 |
12 |
11 |
411 |
13 |
14 |
425 |
14 |
19 |
444 |
15 |
10 |
454 |
16 |
6 |
460 |
17 |
14 |
474 |
18 |
7 |
481 |
According to the
Defra
website the epidemic appears to be on the wane, but still
present, in the wild bird population. Throughout
the UK there are currently still 117 cases in captive birds
resulting in all birds on the premises being culled. If
you see ill or dead birds, don't touch but contact the Rangers on
01543 370737 or 01543 452302 or call Defra's national
dead wild bird helpline on 03459 33 55 77 (option
7). |
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