King Charles to visit Surrey avian influenza scientists

King Charles is to congratulate scientists for their enactment successful combating the largest-ever avian influenza outbreak successful the UK.

Since October 2021, determination person been 330 confirmed cases of avian influenza crossed the country.

The King volition beryllium fixed a circuit of the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA) office successful Weybridge, Surrey.

The authorities bureau is liable for controlling endemic and exotic diseases successful animals, plants and bees.

The Weybridge tract is the UK's main carnal wellness laboratory.

The King's circuit volition see briefings connected avian influenza and bovine tuberculosis, arsenic good arsenic works wellness challenges including invasive non-native species.

He volition besides sojourn specializer probe laboratories to spot genome mapping and a mosquito laboratory to larn astir APHA's vector-borne illness programme.

Ahead of the visit, main veterinary serviceman Dr Christine Middlemiss, who volition articulation the King, said: "Today's sojourn truly is astir recognising the past 18 months of singular enactment and the APHA unit who person worked time successful and time retired to assistance power and negociate the dispersed of avian influenza.

"The standard of avian influenza outbreaks crossed the UK and Europe has been unprecedented and our effect has been underpinned by the world-leading subject and illness power enactment carried retired astatine Weybridge."

In January, farming curate Mark Spencer told MPs much than 7 cardinal birds, chiefly turkeys, person been culled since October 2021.

Eggs person besides go scarce connected supermarket shelves owed to a operation of immoderate farmers stopping accumulation due to the fact that of accrued costs and the outbreak of avian influenza strain H5N1 crossed the globe, experts person said.

During the visit, Charles volition beryllium joined by Lord Benyon, curate for biosecurity, marine and agrarian affairs.