AKIPRESS.COM - There has been an outbreak of bird flu on a British duck breeding farm, in the first case reported in the UK since 2008, reports HP.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed at least one case of bird flu virus at the farm in the Driffield area of East Yorkshire. The strain of is a kind that can jump the species barrier to humans.

But Defra insisted the risk to public health is "very low", and said it is embarking on a cull of all poultry at the stricken farm. It confirmed the outbreak it is investigating is the H5 virus, but said it is not the H5N1 strain, which has caused serious concern in recent years.

It added that laboratory test results are expected early this week.

A Defra spokeswoman said: "We have confirmed a case of avian flu on a duck breeding farm in Yorkshire - the public health risk is very low and there is no risk to the food chain.

Meanwhile the transport of poultry and eggs throughout the Netherlands was banned yesterday after an outbreak of bird flu was confirmed at a chicken farm in Hekendorp.