Avian Influenza is primarily a disease of birds.
It is safe to eat poultry meat and eggs. Scientific advice remains that the risk to human health is negligible, and Food Standards Agency advice remains the same, that properly cooked poultry is safe to eat.
Avian Influenza does not pass easily from birds to people. People can become infected but rarely are. Where they have caught the H5N1 strain in other countries it is because of close and prolonged contact with infected poultry or poultry products. There is no evidence that H5N1 has acquired the ability to pass easily from person to person.
What should I look out for? Who should I report suspicious bird deaths to?
All dead birds found in the Wild Bird Risk Area should be reported to the Defra Helpline (08459 33 55 77). In the rest of the country, if you find one or more dead swan(s)/wild fowl (ducks and geese); more than 3 dead birds of the same species or more than 5 dead birds of different species, in the same place, you should contact the Defra Helpline. You will be asked for details of your finding and its location.
Useful links
More information, news and advice can be found on: