Bird flu: Swan deaths in UK investigated for link to European outbreak - reports

A spate of swan deaths across the UK are reportedly being investigated amid concerns they could be connected to a wave of avian flu from Europe.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has asked people to report sightings of dead swans after confirming a number of cases of H5N8 in wild birds.

The UK's Chief Veterinary Officer has told Sky News she is very worried about the development.

"My concern level is really high," Christine Middlemiss says.

The "sheer volume of infections" of Avian flu is concerning she adds, meaning "we potentially have a lot of risk out there".

The last time she was this worried was back in 2016/17 during the last big Avian flu outbreak. That was the last time they saw "such a high level of infection".

She is seeing a new generation of wild birds coming over to the UK which aren't immune, they come over for the winter and mix with our wild birds which become infected and go on to spread it to domestic poultry.

Enhanced biosecurity measures which they've taken so far are the best protection.

Asking premises to nettle birds and house them is "actively being considered" as the next step to stopping the spread of the infection.

The public health risk is very low.

Small outbreaks of H5N8, which has been in evidence among wild bird populations in Europe, have been confirmed in geese and swans in Gloucestershire, Devon and Dorset.

The Guardian has also reported that a number of dying swans were found spinning in circles and bleeding from the nostrils in Cumbria.

Some bird keepers across England, Wales and Scotland have been placed under strict biosecurity measures after the discovery of H5N8 cases at poultry farms in Herefordshire and Cheshire.

The H5N2 strain of the virus was also confirmed in Kent earlier this month.

Prior to this, the last outbreak was confirmed at a commercial chicken farm in Mid Suffolk on 10 December 2019.

The H5N6 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in 21 wild birds between January and June 2018. There were no cases in poultry.

According to the NHS, the H5N8 strain has not infected any humans worldwide to date, while H5N6 hasn't infected anyone in the UK and doesn't spread from humans to birds easily.

Public Health England has said the risk to public health and food safety from the virus is low, with properly cooked poultry and poultry products including eggs posing no danger.