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UK Government Says Restriction Zone Created in Suffolk After Bird Flu Confirmed at Local Farm

LONDON (Sputnik) – A restriction zone has been created at a chicken farm in the Mid Suffolk district in England after bird flu was confirmed there, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced.
Sputnik
"Low pathogenic avian flu of the H5 strain has been confirmed at a commercial chicken farm in Mid Suffolk, today on Tuesday 10th December. All the birds will now be humanely culled and we have put in place a 1km restriction zone around the infected farm to limit the risk of the disease spreading", the department said in a Tuesday release.

According to Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, a total of 27,000 chickens at the affected farm will be culled.

"We are urgently looking for any evidence of disease spread associated with this strain to control and eliminate it", Middlemiss said, as quoted in the Tuesday release.

The low pathogenic type of avian influenza viruses does not usually pose a serious health risk to people, but consumers are advised to thoroughly cook poultry and eggs to protect themselves.

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