Bird flu has been detected in two poultry workers in England although there are no signs of human-to-human transmission, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Government health bosses said it had detected the Influenza A (H5) virus in two poultry workers, following the introduction of an asymptomatic testing programme for people who have been in contact with infected birds.
The two people returning positive tests are known to have recently worked on an infected poultry farm in England. Neither has experienced any symptoms of avian influenza and both have since tested negative.
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The UKHSA said, based on the timing of exposures and test results, one individual is likely to have had contamination of the nose and/or throat from material inhaled on the farm, whilst for the second individual it is more difficult to determine which is the case.
Further investigation is under way but, meanwhile, precautionary contact tracing has been undertaken for this second individual, the statement said.
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