Bird flu is 600 miles from the UK

600 miles from the UK - that's the distance of bird flu from this island.

The deadly H5N1 virus has been confirmed to have infected two swans in Germany. Germany's federal agricultural ministry announced the results of initial tests last night several hours after Austria also confirmed that swans found dead near the city of Graz were victims of the disease.

The H5N1 strain of the virus, which can kill humans through contact with infected animals, has recently been found in Italy, Greece and Bulgaria.

A spokeswoman for the UK's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds told the BBC News website it was probable the birds had shifted further westwards than normal in search for food following particularly cold weather in countries like Ukraine

Late last week, Africa too confirmed that it has the bird flu virus in its shores.

In the UK, the government is steadily stockpiling the vaccine Tamiflu - the only known shield against the virus.

However unfortunately the makers of the vaccine are simply too hardpressed to produce enough supply for the British public, let alone the world.

Maybe its time for governments to take a serious stand and force the producers to grant licences for the production of generic drugs.

Looking at the speed of the bird flu spread, this is surely not the time to be looking at profits.

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