Bird Flu Outbreak 'Highly Pathogenic'

An outbreak of the H7 strain of bird flu at a farm in central England is "highly pathogenic," officials said Wednesday. All the chickens on the farm have been slaughtered following detection of the virus, which does not pose a high risk to humans, at the farm in Banbury, Oxfordshire late Tuesday. "The Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed that the strain of H7 avian influenza present in laying hens at the farm in Banbury is highly pathogenic," the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said in statement. Highly pathogenic means that the virus has a relatively high ability to produce disease.