CASES of avian flu in Scotland could increase in the coming weeks, an expert has warned.
Around 224,000 domestic birds have been culled in Scotland so far this year, as the disease has ripped through both wild and agricultural populations.
However, the outbreak has been significantly smaller in Scotland than in England, where 1.67 million turkeys and 2 million chickens have been culled due to the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.
It is thought to be one of the worst outbreaks of bird flu across the world.
Typically, the disease flares up in poultry and wild birds in the autumn before fading away. Yet this year it has been lingering longer than expected. Speaking to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas said cases of the disease could increase in Scotland.
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“We certainly could be behind the curve, and so we’re continuingly monitoring what’s happening so that if we need to take further measures, we can,” she said.
“It is possible that in the next few weeks, the picture here will deteriorate, in which case we will need to take further action.”
Egg shortages have been reported throughout the UK as farmers struggle to maintain production amid outbreaks of the virus. There are also fears that the market for Christmas turkeys could be impacted.
The UK Government has recently ordered all poultry and captive birds in England to be kept indoors in an effort to curb the spread.
However, because the figures in Scotland are significantly lower, Voas said that measure is currently not being recommended north of the border as the disease can spread quicker among housed birds.
It comes after an industry chief warned MPs that half of the free-range turkeys produced at Christmas in the UK have been culled or died because of bird flu.
But Voas said that Scotland’s turkey industry is not significant and therefore this is unlikely to disturb supplies over the festive period.
She said: “We’ve got a few tens of thousands, they tend to be seasonal producers, people who keep a few 100 turkeys for the local market within Scotland, unlike the commercial turkey production in England.
“England have slaughtered 1.67 million turkeys but in context… that 1.68 million is about disease control. The normal Christmas market is about 10 million, a proportion of which are slaughtered earlier in the year and frozen.
“Turkey may be scarcer but I’m not concerned that there isn’t going to be any turkey around this Christmas.”
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