UK: 2 more poultry workers test positive for bird flu

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the 2 workers had been in contact with infected birds at 2 different premises in England. It follows the discovery of 2 earlier cases in workers in May. Those poultry workers have since tested negative. The UKHSA reported that the cases are not linked.

The UKHSA testing programme includes farm staff, staff involved in culling operations, vets and other health and safety staff.

“The first new detection is difficult to interpret due to a lack of information on sample timing and may be consistent with infection or contamination of the respiratory tract,” said the UKHAS in a statement, adding, “The second new detection is likely to represent contamination. Precautionary contact tracing was undertaken.”

Around 50 other people who work at the 2 affected sites were tested for bird flu – all tests came back negative, the UKHSA confirmed.

It has not detected any evidence of human-to-human transmission, and the risk to human health remains unchanged, with the danger remaining very low to the general public.