Bird flu man: Ducks were like family.. cull’s so sad
1st human infection in UK fear
AN elderly man who tested positive for bird flu says his flock of ducks, culled because of the virus, were “like family”.
Alan Gosling, 79, who kept 160 ducks at his home, is believed to be the first person in the UK to be infected with the new H5N1 bird flu strain.
The retired train driver said: “Apparently I have got the virus. I’m totally fine myself, I am just upset about what happened to the ducks.
“I’d been with them for more than 20 years.
“They were my family... my life. People don’t realise they are intelligent, but also so sweet. They used to sit on my slippers to warm them up for me.”
Mr Gosling is now isolating. His daughter-in-law Ellesha Gosling, 26, said: “The past couple of weeks have been hell. He saw all of his ducks killed.”
Mrs Gosling said Alan noticed several Muscovy ducks becoming ill just before Christmas.
The birds originally lived in a public area near Alan’s home in Buckfastleigh, Devon.
But they moved in after he began feeding them regularly.
Before Christmas, officials culled around 140 ducks living outside Alan’s house. A team in hazmat suits culled the 20 inside on New Year’s Day despite his pleas.
The UK Health Security Agency said: “While the risk to the public is very low, we know some strains can spread to humans.
“There is no evidence that the strain detected in the UK can spread person to person but we know viruses evolve all the time.”
The human infection comes amid England’s largest outbreak of H5N1.
A million birds are reported to have been culled in Lincolnshire alone.
Bird owners have been ordered to keep their flocks indoors.
They used to sit on my slippers to warm them up
ALAN GOSLING ON THE WILD DUCKS HE ADOPTED