Bird flu has been confirmed in Oxfordshire this afternoon.

Earlier today, Oxfordshire County Council confirmed that avian influenza (bird flu) had been identified in wild birds in the county. 

Here is a timeline leading up to the confirmation:

January 29

  • A tweet shared from community Twitter account Come On Cumnor warned people that bird flu had been reported in the county. The tweet suggested there were cases in Iffley Lock and Port Meadow.

January 31

  • The Oxford Mail contacted Swan Support, a charity helping sick and injured swans in Thames Valley, about the dead birds. A team member at the charity said they were “99 per cent” sure it is bird flu but they were still waiting for an official confirmation from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). You can read more here>>>
  • Oxford City Council confirmed it had “received reports of three dead swans and a number of geese”. The council added: “ODS Countryside Rangers, working with the volunteers of Swan Support, collected the swans.” You can read more here>>>

February 7

  • A week on from when the dead birds were reported and there was no update as DEFRA had not confirmed if it was bird flu or not. A member of staff at Swan Support described that it is a “nightmare at the moment with DEFRA”. You can read more here>>>

February 9

  • Oxfordshire County Council confirmed that bird flu has been identified in Oxfordshire and the council issued advice to people living in the county. You can read more here>>>
  • Swan support told the Oxford Mail the confirmed case was related to the swan in Iffley Lock, Oxford. You can read more here>>>

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