Since late last year, different strains of bird flu have been spreading across Europe and Asia  leading to the large-scale slaughter of poultry in certain countries and in China also to some human deaths. 

On the 24th January the British Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said in a statement that the H5N8 bird flu strain has been found  also in a flock of about 10,000 pheasants at a farm in Lancashire, northwest England.

Despite the virus represents a very low risk to public health, it has been put in place a 3-km protection zone and a 10-km surveillance zone.

Also  the Food Standards Agency said bird flu did not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.
A full investigation is under way to determine the source of the infection

The World Health Organization called on all countries to monitor closely outbreaks of deadly avian influenza in birds and poultry and to report promptly any human cases that could signal the start of a flu pandemi

Source: Reuters