A DOCTOR in charge of the infection control at Abbotsbury said the risk of contracting bird flu in humans was 'very small'.

A week after the outbreak of bird flu at Abbotsbury Swannery a total of four swans have been confirmed to have had the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Doctor Mark Salter, from the Health Protection Agency, said he is monitoring 12 people that had close contact with the birds at Abbotsbury.

He said: "I have continued to monitor 12 people and of these seven have been given Tamiflu tablets, which will work rather like an immunisation drug.

"They are a precautionary measure for the people that were exposed to the swans up to seven days before the outbreak was discovered.

"I am in contact daily with these 12 people."

He added: "The risk for humans contracting the avian flu is very small and the majority of people that have died from it lived in Asia where they had more intimate living conditions with the birds."

This week staff at Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, were given training with special masks to protect themselves in case a human contracts bird flu.

Nurse consultant of infection control Ann Smith said: "We have given staff precautionary training on how to wear a special mask that must be worn in medical procedures should we get a suspected case in the hospital.

"We have been following the advice of the Health Protection Unit and the measures we are taking are to protect staff."

A public meeting to address concerns will be held tonight at Strangways Village Hall, Abbotsbury, at 7pm.