13 February 2007
BIRD FLU EURO LINK RULED OUT
THE search for a link between a bird flu outbreak in Hungary and Britain has turned up a blank, it's been revealed.
No evidence of the infection spreading from turkeys in Hungary to a Bernard Matthews' farm in Suffolk has been found, the European Commission said.
The deadly strain of H5N1 avian flu was found at the Matthews' plant in Holton more than a week ago.
But a suggestion last week by the Government that turkey meat from Hungary may be to blame was rejected by Matthews.
Now, talks between the two countries have heard records showed no turkeys from the affected Szentes region of Hungary had been transported to the Matthews plant in Sarvar and on to Britain.
Environment Secretary David Miliband held talks with senior officials, vets and public health experts yesterday to look at action taken so far to deal with the outbreak .
Matthews announced last Thursday that he had voluntarily suspended all movements of his poultry products between the UK and his Hungarian plant.
An EC spokesman said: "The Hungarians have told us records back to November show no animals from restricted areas around Hungary went to Mr Matthews' slaughterhouse.
“And there are no further suspicions of avian flu in Hungary at the moment.”
He said it remained possible that the exact cause of the outbreak may never be known.
But he added there was no need to revise Europe's avian flu security rules.
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En hiermee heeft de Europese Commissie de hele affaire met de talloze fouten in de doofpot gestopt.
Koen