Bedford: Bird flu found in wild bird population

Bird flu has been confirmed in the wild bird population in Bedford

Bird flu has been confirmed in the wild bird population in Bedford.

The borough council said the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) found avian influenza A(H5N1) in wild dead birds removed from the River Great Ouse and on the embankment in the town.

It has asked people not to touch or feed any sick or dead birds and to report any found to Defra.

A spokesman said it was working to remove the birds.

Dead birds removed from the River Great Ouse and on the embankment in Bedford tested positive for bird flu

The number of bird flu cases in the East of England has been steadily increasing, with protection zones introduced across Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex.

According to Defra, the UK faces its largest ever outbreak of avian flu with more than 150 cases confirmed since late October 2021.

Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "We are seeing a growing number of bird flu cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across the country driven by high levels of disease within wild birds."

Exclusion zones are set up where the disease is found in premises but not where it is generally found in the wild bird population.

Defra has said that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.

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