There are simple guidelines if you find a dead wild bird

Guidelines can help keep bird flu at bay

With avian flu affecting wild birds found in Europe - the latest sighting was in France - the County Council's Animal Health Unit has been working with a range of partners to ensure Staffordshire is prepared to deal with any animal related disease.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been compiling a national register of places where flocks of more than 50 birds are kept so that protection measures can be put in place should any wild bird be found to be affected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.

The County Council's Cabinet Member for Social Care & Health Councillor Susan Woodward said: "Acting with Defra, the County Council has developed detailed emergency plans to ensure that in the event of avian flu or any other animal related disease striking the county, we will quickly have controls in place that will minimize the spread of disease and protect poultry and other kept birds.

"It is of course important that people do not panic, however the public is now being invited to be on the look out for and report unusual sightings of dead birds."

If you find a dead swan, goose or duck; or three or more dead wild, or garden birds together in the same place, please report this to DEFRA, via the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77.

The current Defra helpline opening hours are 9.00am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday opening hours are 10.00am to 5pm. However callers can continue to use the DEFRA helpline number to report wild bird deaths between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm Monday to Friday and between 9.00 pm and 6.00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Defra may wish to have the birds examined for signs of specific diseases. They will advise you on what action you should take.

If the dead bird is a single, small garden, or wild bird then you do not need to call Defra. You should:

leave it alone, or
follow the guidelines below for disposal

Wild birds can carry several diseases that are infectious to people and some simple hygiene precautions should minimise the risk of infection. It is hard for people to catch avian influenza from birds and the following simple steps are also effective against avian influenza.

If you have to move a dead bird

Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands
If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling.
Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak proof. Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag.
Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag.
Remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household refuse bin.
Hands should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water
If disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make-shift glove. When the dead bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second plastic bag, tied and disposed of in the normal household waste.
Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag.
Any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird should be washed using ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally used for washing the clothing.
Any contaminated indoor surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned with normal household cleaner.

Page Last Modified: 30/01/2007 16:03:25

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