The detection of H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) in a pig on an Oregon farm has again raised concerns specifically among virologists who monitor infectious diseases. Although this might seem insignificant compared to the extensive impact bird flu has had on wildlife and agriculture globally,

The UK government said on Tuesday that cases of bird flu had been confirmed in commercial poultry at premises in Yorkshire, hours after it increased the risk level of the disease from medium to high.

The United States Department of Agriculture last week reported that a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon was infected with bird flu.

Cases of bird flu have been detected at a commercial poultry farm in Yorkshire, the first time the highly infectious virus has been confirmed in chickens in England during the current outbreak.

The case in Stevens County was found Friday in a medium-size backyard flock of mixed bird types in or near Chewelah, according to the department’s avian flu dashboard. Medium flocks range from 100 to 1,000 birds. The case in Okanogan County was found in a small backyard flock with less than 100 birds in Omak the same day.

The United States Department of Agriculture last week reported that a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon was infected with bird flu.

In many ways, the initial reports of this case are – against the backdrop of a continuing viral outbreak that has devastated seabird colonies around the world, caused huge die-offs of sea lions and led to the emergence of an entirely new disease of US dairy cattle – pretty innocuous.