Bird flu advice leaflet for travellers published

Tourists are being advised to steer clear of bird or poultry markets in countries affected by bird flu.

Health officials in the UK have published a leaflet providing guidance on reducing the risk of exposure to the HN51 strain of bird flu in countries affected by the virus.

They warn tourists to stay clear of poultry farms and not to eat raw or poorly-cooked poultry or poultry products.

Tourists are also advised to wash their hands frequently with soap and water, and to avoid close contact with live or dead poultry.

The HN51 strain of bird flu has been diagnosed in birds in France, Germany and several other European countries, as well as across South East Asia.

"The information we are distributing today is to make sure that people travelling to countries affected by H5N1 have up-to-date health advice. H5N1 avian influenza is predominantly a disease of birds," said chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson.

"The virus does not pass easily from birds to people and has not yet been shown to pass from person to person. Where people have been infected, it was as a result of close contact with infected poultry or birds.

"The virus has caused severe disease and a high proportion of people have died. H5N1 infections have not been reported in this country, but it is important that travellers from the UK have clear factual information to assist them."

The deadly HN51 strain has also been detected in Austria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.

The leaflet will be available in GPs' surgeries, health centres and English air and sea ports, or can be downloaded from the Department of Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu XXX