Four test positive for bird flu after outbreak in Wales

FOUR people have tested positive for bird flu after an outbreak of the virus on a North Wales farm, the Health Protection Agency confirmed today.

Dr Christianne Glossop, chief veterinary officer for Wales, previously said it was not the most dangerous H5N1 strain but H7N2 low pathogenic avian influenza.

The HPA carried out tests on specimens from nine people associated with the incident - seven from Wales and two from north-west England.

Yesterday, 30 chickens were slaughtered at the smallholding in Corwen after 15 birds died.

Tests were carried out after the farm's owners contacted their own vet.

A 1km restriction zone has been set up around the farm, stopping birds and bird products being moved in or out of the area.

Pat Troop, chief executive of the HPA, said: "As a routine precaution, we have tested those who were associated with the infected or dead birds and reported flu-like symptoms.

"We tested samples from nine people and confirmed infection in four.

"These test results confirm that human infection with the avian flu virus has occurred. The cases so far have been associated with the infected birds."