Tag Archives: Defra

US cow-derived H5N1 virus flown under tight security to Porton Down for testing in UK

A new unit set up to tackle H5N1 is testing imported virus samples in high-security laboratories at Porton Down to see whether the virus poses a significant risk to British livestock. Professor Ashley Banyard, of the Animal Plants and Health Agency (APHA), said virus from sick cattle in the US was sent to three secure… Read More »

What does the US bird flu outbreak mean for the UK?

British scientists are closely monitoring the bird flu outbreak in the US after the H5N1 virus infected more than 30 cattle herds across multiple states. One person became infected after coming into contact with cows. Cows in the UK are not currently being tested for bird flu and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs… Read More »