Bird flu cases are deadly H5N1 strain

By Nigel Hunt

LONDON (Reuters) - The deadly strain of H5N1 bird flu was confirmed on Tuesday at a turkey farm in Suffolk, in a fresh blow for farmers still reeling from outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and bluetongue.

Acting Chief Veterinary Officer, Fred Landeg, said the strain was closely related to those found in outbreaks in the Czech Republic and Germany earlier this year.

"Although we have some information of the lineage we do not yet know the source of this outbreak. It is too early to speculate," he told reporters.

The virulent H5N1 strain has killed more than 200 people worldwide since 2003 and millions of birds have either died from it or been killed to prevent its spread.

The Czech Republic had an outbreak of H5N1 in domestic poultry in July while the strain was found in Germany in July and August.

"While we are disappointed to learn that the strain is the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, it is not entirely surprising given the cases in the Czech Republic and Germany earlier this year," said Nick Blayney, president of the British Veterinary Association.

Officials began the slow process on Tuesday of slaughtering thousands of birds at the farm on the Norfolk/Suffolk border which houses 5,000 turkeys, 1,000 ducks and 500 geese.

VIGILANCE URGED