Race to contain suspected bird flu outbreak among Thames Valley swans

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Yassin El-Moudden and Damien GayleFebruary 2, 2026 at 01:59 PM

Race to contain suspected bird flu outbreak among Thames Valley swans

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A suspected bird flu outbreak is affecting swans in the Thames Valley, with concerns that official figures underestimate the true scale. Since October, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) has recorded 324 cases, including 39 in the first four weeks of 2026. Swan Support, an animal charity, reported a significant number of dead swans in Windsor, Maidenhead, and Newbury since mid-January, exhibiting symptoms suggestive of bird flu. While some bodies have been sent for testing, confirmation from Defra is pending. Volunteers are working to contain the spread by reporting and removing deceased birds from waterways, aiming to protect other species from the highly infectious H5N1 strain.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Hurley 40% River Thames 50% Newbury 50% Windsor 50% David Barber ×260% Wendy Hermon ×260% Windsor and Maidenhead 60% Berkshire ×260% Swan Support ×370% Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) ×370% Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ×470% Thames Valley ×280%

Keywords

bird flu 100% swans 90% outbreak 80% thames valley 70% animal and plant health agency 60% wild bird deaths 50% h5n1 strain 50% infectious disease 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Thames Valley

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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bird flu swans outbreak thames valley animal and plant health agency wild bird deaths h5n1 strain infectious disease

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