WEST Devon Borough Council?s environmental health team is urging residents to remain calm but vigilant after tests on a swan found dead in Fife in Scotland have found the H5N1 strain of bird flu. Dave Banks, head of West Devon?s environmental health, said: ?If residents find a dead swan, goose or duck or three or more dead wild, or garden birds together in the same place, please contact the Department of the Environment Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) helpline on 08459 335577. ?We do have a contingency plan in case there is an outbreak in West Devon and are working closely with Defra, Devon County Council and other partners across the local authority area.? ?Advice from the Food Standards Agency remains that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.? Defra has asked residents not to call them if the dead bird is a single, small garden, or wild bird. But they are asking residents to follow simple hygiene precautions if they want to dispose of a dead wild bird. Their advice if you have to move a dead bird is: l Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands, l If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling l Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak-proof. Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag, l Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag, l Remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household refuse bin. l Hands should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water. l If disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a makeshift glove. When the dead bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second plastic bag, tied and disposed of in the normal household waste. l Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag l Any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird should be washed using ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally used for washing the clothing. l Any contaminated indoor surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned with normal household cleaner. Further information and advice is available on Defra?s website at http://www.defra.gov.uk">www.defra.gov.uk and the Food Standards Agency website at http://www.food.gov.uk">www.food.gov.uk