housands of birds are to be slaughtered after an outbreak of avian flu at a Norfolk farm.
http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1496242.jpg Turkeys to be culled
Preliminary tests showed the turkeys had the H5 strain of the virus, said the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
It is not yet known whether it is a highly pathogenic H5N1 form of the disease.
All 5,000 birds are expected to be culled at the farm in Diss, which has ducks and geese as well turkeys.
Bernard Matthews said it did not owned the premises and none of its farms fell within a 3km exclusion zone.
A 10km surveillance zone has also been set up around the farm and movement of all poultry in the area has been suspended.
Chief Veterinary Officer Fred Lande told Sky News: "Everybody needs to be concerned, this is avian influenza.
"We are asking every poultry keeper to be vigilant, to house their birds where they are required to do so in any restricted area and carry out good bio-security measures and report any signs of disease."
http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1610209.jpg New outbreak at Norfolk farm
Dr Landeg stressed an investigation into the outbreak would try to establish its origin but that it was still at a very early stage.
He played down the likelihood of a link to the outbreak in February this year at a Bernard Matthews' plant in Holton, Suffolk.
He also reassured the public that they were not at risk of infection from eating poultry, meat and eggs as long as they were cooked properly.
"I think we should also reassure everybody that if poultry and eggs are properly cooked, the Food Standards Agency says there is no risk to public health," he said.
