Bird flu confirmed in poultry in Cornwall

The Animal and Plant Health Authority said the virus had been confirmed in poultry in Cornwall

Cases of bird flu have been confirmed in Cornwall, a government agency said.

The Animal and Plant Health Authority said on its website the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus had been confirmed in poultry at a site near Constantine.

All of the poultry on the site would be humanely culled, it said.

A 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone and 10km (6 mile) surveillance zone was in place around the site after positive test results on Monday, it added.

The latest confirmation in Cornwall comes as Paignton Zoo in Devon also deals with bird flu after a dead pelican was found on Sunday, closing the zoo since it was found.

Bird flu has also been confirmed at a premises with captive wild birds near Newlyn.

Carcases of seabirds thought to have been succumbed to the virus have also been found on the Isles of Scilly.

The H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus is highly contagious among birds, and spread by close contact with an infected bird, whether it is dead or alive.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' website said the virus was "primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public's health is very low".

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