Bird flu outbreak at poultry farm in Aberdeenshire
Farming union NFU Scotland said it was "incredibly concerning" news.A spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with the affected keeper at this difficult time"
Bird flu is a disease caused by a virus that infects birds and sometimes other animals, such as foxes, seals and otters.The dominant H5N1 strain emerged in China in the 1990s.Scientists said the risk to humans was low when the strain began affecting cattle herds in the US last summer.Transmission from birds to humans is rare and there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Council fined after ‘preventable' death of care home dementia patient
A council has been fined following the 'preventable' death of a dementia patient who went missing from a care home during the night. Allan MacLeod, 69, disappeared from his bedroom at St Brendan's Care Home in Castlebay on the Isle of Barra in the early hours of March 9 last year without staff realising. He was found near the home about four hours after going missing, with facial injuries consistent with falling, and died a short time later in hospital. Western Isles Council was fined £80,000 at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court on Wednesday August 6 after it admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said. Mr MacLeod had been a resident at the home – one of five operated by the council throughout the Western Isles – for about six months at the time of his death. An HSE investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) determined that he had made several previous attempts to leave the home. It found that any measures that staff had taken to mitigate this, by fitting an electronic tag to his clothing that indicated his whereabouts, had been defeated by Mr MacLeod removing it. HSE said that on March 8, having been settled in bed at about 9pm, hourly checks were carried out to ensure he was alright however, at 2am on March 9, staff found that he was not in his bed. Investigations found that he had left the home via the only door that did not have an alarm which was located 10 metres from his bedroom. Following a search involving the coastguard, RNLI and firefighters, he was found near the home on the patio of a residential property. HSE inspector Ashley Fallis said: 'This was a tragic and preventable death. The council should have made sure the home had stronger measures in place with Mr MacLeod's risks already known and assessed. 'Although changes have since been made, they came too late to prevent his death.' HSE said that after Mr MacLeod's death, the home introduced a regime of half hourly checks on residents. Arrangements had already been made to install keypad entry systems on all doors, but this work had not been completed before he died. A spokesperson for Western Isles Council (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) said: 'Comhairle nan Eilean Siar once again extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the late Mr Allan F MacLeod for the circumstances surrounding his tragic passing on 9 March 2024. 'Yesterday at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court, the comhairle accepted that health and safety shortcomings contributed to the tragic incident and pled guilty to the charges brought by the procurator fiscal. 'The comhairle hopes that the conclusion of this case will offer the family some closure. 'The door security system in use at St Brendan's Care Home was a key factor in this case. 'A new door security system had been procured but at the time of the incident the works to install it had not been completed. 'Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is committed to the delivery of high standards of care to all residents in our residential homes. In this instance these standards were not fully met. 'The comhairle has implemented health and safety improvements and will continue to work with the Care Inspectorate to ensure that our residential homes operate to the highest possible standards.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Western Isles Council fined after death of care home resident
A council has been fined £80,000 after the death of a patient who went missing from one of its care homes in the Western MacLeod, who was 69 and had dementia, left St Brendan's Care Home in Barra by the only door in the building that was not fitted with an was missing for about four hours before a coastguard helicopter found him in the early hours of 9 March last year on the patio of a house near the home. He died in hospital a short time authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, which has pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches, said it wished to express its condolences to Mr MacLeod's family. The council was fined at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court in North Uist on court heard that Mr MacLeod had been placed in the council-operated care home in October 2023 so he could be closer to one of his observed his behaviour during his first month in the home to help them better understand the care he 8 March 2024, he was settled into his bed at about 21:00 and hourly checks were made of his was found empty at 02:00 on 9 March, and searches were made of the court heard that to avoid being detected by staff, Mr MacLeod had left the building using an exit about 10m (33ft) from his room and not fitted with an alarm. Electronic tag Workers at the home alerted Police Scotland and a search involving coastguard, RNLI and fire service personnel was launched of the surrounding area.A coastguard helicopter fitted with heat detection equipment found Mr MacLeod at about 06:00. He had facial injuries consistent with falling to the ground. Despite the efforts of medical staff he died an hour later.A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that he had made several previous attempts to leave the home. Carers had tried fitting an electronic tag to Mr MacLeod's clothing to track his movements but he would manage to find the device and remove said after Mr MacLeod's death St Brendan's Care Home introduced a regime of half hourly checks on also said arrangements had been made to install keypad entry systems on all doors but this work had not been completed before Mr MacLeod went sentencing, HSE inspector Ashley Fallis said: "This was a tragic and preventable death."The council should have made sure the home had stronger measures in place with Mr MacLeod's risks already known and assessed."Although changes have since been made, they came too late to prevent his death." Door security Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said it accepted that health and safety shortcomings contributed to the incident.A spokesperson said: "Comhairle nan Eilean Siar once again extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the late Mr Allan Macleod for the circumstances surrounding his tragic passing on 9 March 2024."The comhairle hopes that the conclusion of this case will offer the family some closure."The local authority said the door security system in use at St Brendan's Care Home was a key factor in this case. A new security system had been purchased, but at the time of the incident the work to install it had not been spokesperson said: "Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is committed to the delivery of high standards of care to all residents in our residential homes. "In this instance these standards were not fully met."They said the comhairle had implemented health and safety improvements and would continue to work with the Care Inspectorate to ensure its residential homes operated to the highest possible standards.
STV News
2 hours ago
- STV News
Bird flu outbreak detected at farm as 3km protection zone enforced
An outbreak of bird flu has been identified at a farm in Aberdeenshire. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed at a poultry farm near Banff on Friday, August 1. A 3 km (1.8 mile) protection zone and 10 km (6.2mile) surveillance zone have been in place. Scotland's chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas confirmed that avian flu had been detected. If a premises is in one of the zones, owners must ensure that the disease does not spread and that their birds are protected. Animal & Plant Health Agency An outbreak of bird flu has been identified at a farm in Aberdeenshire with a protection zone put in place. Animal & Plant Health Agency Inspections of stock for signs of infection must be carried out and any signs of disease should be immediately reported to a vet, local APHA Field Services office or 03000 600 703. Records must be kept of any visitors to the premises and records of the flock, including numbers of poultry, numbers of poultry falling ill or dying, the amount of feed and water being consumed and any egg production. Livestock, poultry, other captive birds, eggs, domestic mammals, meat or carcases must not be moved without permission, known as a licence. Poultry litter, manure and slurry should be spread and these substances not moved from a premises without a licence, and game birds should not be released. Avian flu is not considered dangerous to humans, but people are advised not to touch dead or dying birds. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
