 The Independent
Just heard a nice scare-mongering advert for the Independent on the radio. "Now that bird migration can affect Britains health...."
Has there yet been any evidence for bird-flu transmission outside poultry farms?
Otherwise we can look forward to a big reduction in bird feeders across the country & probably less visitors to nature reserves.
From the RSPB website:
Currently, the UK remains free of H5N1 avian influenza. Even if it should arrive in the country in wild birds, the risk to human health would be very small.
One unfortunate consequence of the hysteria that has surrounded this crisis is that some people have become nervous of the wild birds around them. This is very sad, especially as there is really no need.
As we enter the breeding season, the birds around our homes and gardens become more obvious as they work to raise their broods, and this has long been a source of considerable pleasure to many people. There is no reason not to continue to enjoy them; not least, because there are no confirmed cases anywhere in the world of people catching H5N1 bird flu from wild birds.  |