Bird Flu Found in a Sheep in England for the First Time

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Farmers told to stay alert after bird flu turns up in a sheep in Yorkshire.

For the first time ever in England, bird flu has been found in a sheep, the government has said.

The virus, also known as H5N1, showed up during a routine check on a farm in Yorkshire — the same place where the flu had already been spotted in some birds.

Luckily, no other sheep on the farm were infected, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

“While this is the first time this virus has been reported in a sheep, it is not the first time influenza of avian origin has been detected in livestock in other countries,”

“There is no evidence to suggest an increased risk to the nation’s livestock population.“

What’s Happening on the Farm?

The one infected sheep was put down so vets could run more tests. DEFRA said it’s keeping a close eye on farms, especially after bird flu popped up in cows over in the US.

Farmers across the UK are now being told to keep an eye out and report anything odd with their animals.

Government Warning: Keep It Clean

Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s top vet, had this to say:

“We have confirmed the detection of influenza of avian origin in a single sheep on a farm in Yorkshire.

“Strict biosecurity measures have been implemented to prevent the further spread of disease.

“While the risk to livestock remains low, I urge all animal owners to ensure scrupulous cleanliness is in place and to report any signs of infection to the Animal Plant Health Agency immediately.“

Basically – keep things clean, don’t take chances, and tell the vets if anything looks off.

Can Humans Catch It?

Dr Meera Chand from the UK Health Security Agency gave this update:

“Globally, we continue to see that mammals can be infected with avian influenza.

“However, current evidence suggests that the avian influenza viruses we’re seeing circulating around the world do not spread easily to people – and the risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low.“

So for now, there’s no big worry for the public – but the experts are still watching it closely.

What About Food? Is It Safe?

Yep – no need to panic when it comes to food. The Food Standards Agency said that properly cooked chicken, eggs, and other poultry products are still safe to eat. Bird flu poses a very low food safety risk to UK consumers since the virus is not normally transmitted through food, it added.