Dutch commercial poultry keepers have been ordered to keep their birds indoors after a dangerous strain of bird flu was found in three dead swans in northern France.

Birds have also died of the H5N1 variant in the Czech Republic and Germany. ‘There is no reason to panic but it is worrying that more cases have been found,’ said Ben Dullaert of the meat marketing board PVE. ‘Metz-Nancy is not very far away,’ pointed out.