英國首起H5N1禽流感案例日前已獲官方證實，沙福克郡一處養殖場中的2500隻火雞上週因感染禽流感而死亡。
鄰近上霍爾頓的伯納馬修養殖場，將15萬9千隻火雞分別飼養於22個雞棚中，但英國政府已將養殖場中的火雞全數撲殺，防止此種具高度傳染力的疾病擴散開來。
獸醫實驗研究所（Veterinary Laboratories Agency）針對養殖場死亡的火雞進行抽樣檢查後，證實雞隻血液中確含有H5N1型禽流感病毒。
全球已有271件人體感染H5N1型禽流感病毒案例，死亡人數達165人。此外，上千萬隻雞、鴨、火雞因為禽流感而死亡，或為了防止疫情擴散而遭到撲殺。
此次疫情爆發的徵兆出現在1月30日，55隻雛火雞死亡，16隻則因染病而被撲殺，隔日又有超過 185隻火雞死亡。
英國國家獸醫局已在養殖場3公里（2英里）內的地區設立保護區，並在10公里（6英里）內設立監控區，嚴格限制所有的行動，家禽與野生禽鳥也進行隔離。
英國健康保護局表示，雖然爆發禽流感事件，但目前H5N1型危及民眾的程度仍偏低。英國是冬季第3個證實家禽感染H5N1型病毒的歐洲國家，匈牙利和俄羅斯的克拉斯諾達爾已分別在1月24日和1月29日通報疫情。
Britain's first case of H5N1 avian influenza has been confirmed by government veterinarians. At least 2,500 turkeys died of the disease last week at a farm in Suffolk.
The Bernard Matthews farm near Upper Holton held 159,000 turkeys housed in 22 sheds, all of which have now been culled to prevent further spread of the highly pathogenic disease.
Tests from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency have confirmed that the sample from the turkeys found dead on the farm did contain the H5N1 avian flu virus.
This is the viral strain that has been responsible for 271 human cases of bird flu worldwide and a total of 165 deaths. In addition, hundreds of millions of chickens, ducks and turkeys have been killed by the disease or culled to prevent its spread.
The first sign of the outbreak occurred last Tuesday when 55 turkey chicks died and 16 had to be killed because they were sick. At least 185 more died the following day.
The State Veterinary Service is enforcing a Protection Zone of three kilometers (two miles) and a Surveillance Zone of 10 km (six miles) around the premises where movement restrictions will be imposed and poultry must be isolated from wild birds.
The Health Protection Agency has advised that, despite this incident, the current level of risk to humans from H5N1 remains extremely low. The UK has become Europe's third country infected by H5N1 during the current winter season. Outbreaks have been reported in Hungary on January 24 and in Krasnodar, Russia on January 29.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
