Friday, March 24, 2006
Don't Panic!
So, the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has landed in Scotland. It should not surprise anyone that it has emerged; but what is shocking is that it took the authorities eight days to collect, test and confirm a dead mute swan had the virus.
The initially lethargic response to the discovery of the dead bird in the Fife coastal village of Cellardyke has been cranked up five gears with the imposition of an "at risk" zone across 2,500 square kilometres of Eastern Scotland.
Within that zone, stretching from the Forth Bridges northwards through Fife, to Perth, Dundee, Angus and Stonehaven, there are two further barriers.
From the locus itself, in the East Neuk of Fife, there is a three kilometre protection zone; and spreading ten kilometres beyond that is what is called a surveillance zone. It adds up to restrictions on the movement of poultry and their products and the order to house chicken stocks indoors.
The Scottish Government and UK medical and veterinary experts have emphasised there is no need for the public to panic: this is a bird disease that worldwide has only thus far spread to humans who have had extremely close contact with the birds.
More than a dozen other swans are currently being tested - with a pledge from the Scottish Government that there will be no further delays. Results on the swan reported eight days ago were slow to emerge because the testing lab in England "didn't work at the weekend". It does now, and 24-hours a day.
Consumers have shown mild concern about the so-called threat of the virus mutating into one that can be passed human to human. The poultry industry hopes it remains that way and is scathing of the English supermarket chain Waitrose, which yesterday put up notices across its stores proclaiming they didn't stock Scottish eggs or chickens.
At supermarkets across Scotland today, there is no visible sign of poultry sales dipping. Checkout surveys - part of general stocktaking - show that sales are steady.
The danger to humans, say the World Health Organisation and virology experts, is minimal.
There is however, a far greater danger that the virus will find its way into the poultry farms within the various eastern Scottish zones. If that happens, localised culling may have to begin.
As grave as that could be to the industry in the short term, there will be no room for any delay. At the weekend or otherwise.
Charles Fletcher
charles.fletcher@caledoniamedia.com
So, the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has landed in Scotland. It should not surprise anyone that it has emerged; but what is shocking is that it took the authorities eight days to collect, test and confirm a dead mute swan had the virus.
The initially lethargic response to the discovery of the dead bird in the Fife coastal village of Cellardyke has been cranked up five gears with the imposition of an "at risk" zone across 2,500 square kilometres of Eastern Scotland.
Within that zone, stretching from the Forth Bridges northwards through Fife, to Perth, Dundee, Angus and Stonehaven, there are two further barriers.
From the locus itself, in the East Neuk of Fife, there is a three kilometre protection zone; and spreading ten kilometres beyond that is what is called a surveillance zone. It adds up to restrictions on the movement of poultry and their products and the order to house chicken stocks indoors.
The Scottish Government and UK medical and veterinary experts have emphasised there is no need for the public to panic: this is a bird disease that worldwide has only thus far spread to humans who have had extremely close contact with the birds.
More than a dozen other swans are currently being tested - with a pledge from the Scottish Government that there will be no further delays. Results on the swan reported eight days ago were slow to emerge because the testing lab in England "didn't work at the weekend". It does now, and 24-hours a day.
Consumers have shown mild concern about the so-called threat of the virus mutating into one that can be passed human to human. The poultry industry hopes it remains that way and is scathing of the English supermarket chain Waitrose, which yesterday put up notices across its stores proclaiming they didn't stock Scottish eggs or chickens.
At supermarkets across Scotland today, there is no visible sign of poultry sales dipping. Checkout surveys - part of general stocktaking - show that sales are steady.
The danger to humans, say the World Health Organisation and virology experts, is minimal.
There is however, a far greater danger that the virus will find its way into the poultry farms within the various eastern Scottish zones. If that happens, localised culling may have to begin.
As grave as that could be to the industry in the short term, there will be no room for any delay. At the weekend or otherwise.
Charles Fletcher
charles.fletcher@caledoniamedia.com
# posted by scotcast @ 3:27 pm 
