HEALTH and animal experts have confirmed that avian flu is now present on the eastern edge of Europe.

The virus, which is responsible for devastating flocks in Asia and causing 60 human deaths, was found in Turkey and Romania last week, while a case on a Greek island was confirmed this week.

Health and agriculture experts are stepping up measures to prevent the H5N1 strain virus, capable of causing severe illness, from reaching Britain's shores. They also have contingency plans to deal with avian flu should it arrive here.

But while poultry farmers, vets and wildfowl experts are taking precautions, officials from the Department Of The Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (Defra) says the risk of the virus reaching here is low.

Avian vet Keith Warner from the Minster Practice, near Hereford, said: "The chance of human health problems is very small. We cannot play down the risk but it is small.

"As long as there is no illegal transport of birds, the movement of avian flu is going to be very slow.

"It looks like it is moving south rather than west. The migration of birds to and from Britain tends to be north to south rather than east to west."

Dr Alan Tweddell, consultant in communicable disease control at South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, said: "The risk from avian flu to the UK population remains very low.

"If avian flu were detected in the UK there would be culling and infection control to stop it spreading. The 60 people who died in Asia contracted it directly from birds because they were involved in slaughtering and defeathering birds.

"There is no evidence of any spread from person to person. To pose a really serious threat it would have to mutate and spread rapidly from one person to another."

Jan Harrigan, who has run Wychbold Swan Rescue for 33 years, says she and her volunteers have been advised to look out for multiple deaths of wild birds. "Avian flu is not new. It is something we are very well aware of and we are being careful but it is nothing to panic about."

She added that people should continue to feed wild birds in the normal way. "People can feed the swans by putting bread into the water as they normally would. They should never touch a swan or feed a swan out of the hand. Swans can catch things from people as well as the other way round."

Precautions in place already include a European Union ban on poultry imports from Turkey and Romania. Air passengers from Turkey and Romania are being checked for food products as they arrive at British airports.

UK poultry farmers are restricting livestock movements, disinfecting farm vehicles and using foot dips. Some are also feeding and watering their flocks indoors to deter wild birds.

People working directly with birds have to change and shower before coming in contact with birds and even when moving between chicken sheds and pens.

Defra is urging anyone who keeps poultry and other domestic birds to be vigilant and maintain a high level of biosecurity.

Human flu pandemics occur about three or four times every century.

There were three flu pandemics last century - in 1918-19 when 40-50million people died, in 1957-58 and in 1968-69.

The first case of human infection of the H5N1 avian flu was in Hong Kong in 1997. Health experts are not sure why the disease did not mutate into a human virus and cause a pandemic, although the rapid culling of poultry probably helped to avert a crisis.

No human case has been associated with eating poultry meat or eggs and the virus in meat is killed by cooking it

at 70 degrees C for several

seconds.

All cases in humans have been because of close contact with infected live birds, combined with a lack of protective measures by farmers, vets and catchers who collect infected birds for slaughter.

Humans infected with avian flu develop a fever and breathing problems such as a cough or shortness of breath.

Each time someone is infected there is a small chance they will trigger a pandemic.

Advise to the public

Anyone who discovers a large number of dead, dying or sick birds should contact DEFRA immediately by calling the hotline on 08459 335577.

Alternatively report it to a local vet and the local Animal Health Office on 01905 767111.

Do not touch the birds or their secretions.

WHAT ARE THE FACTS AND FIGURES?

Avian flu is a disease of birds - not humans. People can become infected but this is rare.

It first appeared in Italy more than 100 years ago

Of about 100 people infected with avian flu in Asia since 1997, 60 have died.

The virus has not mutated to produce a human form that could be passed on between humans. Currently avian flu can only be caught from infected birds.

The last case of avian flu in Europe - a different strain - was in 2001 in the Netherlands. It did not reach Britain.

In 1992 a severe form of avian flu was found in the UK. It was successfully brought under control and eradicated. Migratory waterfowl - particularly wild duck - are the main carriers of avian flu viruses and often show no symptoms.

Birds in the UK at risk of contracting avian flu include wild birds, domestic poultry, game birds, exotic species in captivity, fancy breeds and other pet species.