In the UK, bird flu’spills over’ to foxes and otters

In the UK, the greatest avian flu pandemic in history is spreading to animals, such as foxes and otters.

Avian flu has caused the death of 208 million birds worldwide and at least 200 recorded cases in mammals.

Public health officials warn that a mutation in mammals could lead to a potential human-to-human transmission, but the risk is very low.

The UK Health Security Agency advises that avian flu is primarily a bird disease, but experts worldwide are examining the risks of it spreading to other species.

The virus has been found in various mammals, including grizzly bears, mink, dolphins, and seals. In the UK, the Animal and Plant Health Agency tested 66 mammals, including seals, and found nine otters and foxes positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1.

Cases have been found in England, Wales, Shetland, the Inner Hebrides, and Fife, Scotland, where they were believed to have fed on dead or sick wild birds infected with the virus.