Warning over virus sweeping through Europe with symptoms including sickness, fever, cough and headaches

Two more people in the UK have been diagnosed with a nasty virus which is sweeping through Europe - with symptoms including sickness, fever, cough and persistent headaches.

There have now been four confirmed cases of bird flu since March in the UK after being reported in record levels across Europe.

It comes as the European Food Safety Authority warning back in December that the ongoing epidemic was the 'largest ever observed' on the continent.

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But British health advisors have said they would react quickly is there was any detection of a bird flu epidemic forming in the UK.

A UK Health Security Agency spokesman told the Mirror: "There have now been a total of 4 detections through this programme, which was launched in March and aims to detect possible animal to human infections in people who are exposed to infected birds.

"As of 10 July 2023, 144 individuals from eight infected premises have been tested through enhanced surveillance of poultry workers."

Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at UKHSA, added: "Current evidence suggests that the avian influenza viruses we’re seeing circulating in birds around the world do not spread easily to people.

"However, we know already that the virus can spread to people following close contact with infected birds and this is why, through surveillance programmes like this one, we are monitoring people who have been exposed to learn more about these risks.

"These detections can follow contamination of the nose and throat from breathing in material from the environment, or can be due to infection. It can be difficult to distinguish these in people who have no symptoms. Following any