Britain’s first case of the virus was officially announced last Thursday, after the wild swan was discovered at a harbour in Cellardyke, 450 miles north of London.
As a precautionary measure, the British government have set up restrictions on the movement of poultry. However, fears of a widespread outbreak of bird flu across Britain were receding last night as the infected swan remained the only confirmed case even though more than 1,100 birds have been examined since the end of February.
The briefing for clergy was prepared by Rev Nick Read, who is the Chaplain for Agriculture and Rural Issues for the Diocese of Hereford.
Rev Read explained, “We had already set up a small working party to ensure we could pass on information in the event of this happening so we are prepared. In a rural area like ours with a lot of poultry farmers, as well as a large company supplying chicken to the supermarkets, we need to be as fully briefed as possible.”
The two-page briefing offers a background on the nature of the virus, and also discusses the implications that it has for human health. The economic impact was also examined in the situation where the nation’s population stopped eating its usual amounts of chicken or cancelling visits to the countryside tourist attractions.“We need to be sensible about our response and keep things in proportion, but we also need to be ready,” said Rev Read.
