h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The first case of bird flu has been found in the UK. A parrot...which is now a dead parrot! This parrot was being held in Essex. I live in Essex!!

I've had this cold for two weeks now.......

As I heard, it was a quarantined parrot from South Africa...but that's inconsequential!That really is frighteningly close to home!

You're not kidding
They have said there is no risk as the parrot was in quarentine. Does'nt alter the fact that its now in this country. I wonder how many more cases will follow.

Oh almost forgot the special medicinal ! I Sincerely hope there's nothing to worry about yet Jen luv.

*peers out from under blanket brandishing defensive frying pan*

Nobody infected come near me!

Are they certain the parrot isn't just asleep?

Mmm yes, a Norwegian blue, remarkable bird the Norwegian blue, beautiful plumage, bought from a boutique in Notlob I believe..
Shouldn't worry too much Venus, it's an isolated case, I'm just glad I don't know any birds from Essex..
But, on second thoughts...........

Birds dotend to fly and cross borders, so nobody can tell. In Germany, farmers are now told to keep their chickens inside, there are huge fines for those who don't

But can fly

the longest distance a chicken could fly was 8 metres and 34 centimetres.

http://www.tavukcuzade.com/kimdir_en.asp

I do know that that isn't the record though, which is around 13m, but still not enough to cross the Channel. However it is the major migration period, although most of the UK's migrant birds come from the north, such as Scandinavia and Russia, which is percieved to be too cold for the virus to be viable, so there is a reasonable chance that it will bypass us.

Ahem - I said birds, not chickens , and it's known as the Bird flu , so there

Anyone here from Weybridge??? Thats where the bird is now!

No, where's that ? Not anywhere near you, I hope ?

Not anymore. Weybridge is somewhere in Surrey. They have a special laboratory type place. Thats why the bird has been taken there.

Surrey sounds ok, I don't think I know somebody from surry

or even from Surrey

That parrot was near to me. My mum used to buy all her birdfood from that bird place. We don't think we'll go there anymore.

I wonder if the place will close down now? Not exactly a good advertisement is it. Poor little bird

My dad was muttering something about everyone asking questions about the past of the bloke who runs it. Won't mention exactly what he said in case it's not true.

It never looked very nice to me, not that things were in a bad way, but that it always looked tatty. Shop was good though.