The bird flu virus has been found in sheep in England for the first time

The British government says the bird flu virus has been detected in sheep in England for the first time.

"The case was discovered following routine monitoring of poultry at a farm in Yorkshire where highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has previously been confirmed in other captive birds," authorities said in a statement on Monday, Reuters reported.

A statement from the British government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency said the sheep tested positive was a ewe with signs of mastitis, which is inflammation of the breast tissue, and no other clinical symptoms.

H5N1 has also been detected in goat milk, suggesting possible similarities with ongoing H5N1 outbreaks in U.S. dairy herds, said David Hutchinson, professor of molecular and cellular virology at the University of Glasgow's Centre for Viral Research. Bird flu appeared on American farms last year, infecting many cows.

However, the ewe has been culled, no further infection has been found in the rest of the flock and the case appears to be under control.

Globally, mammals are likely to continue to be infected with bird flu, the UK's Health and Safety Authority said. "However, current evidence suggests that the avian influenza viruses we are seeing around the world are not readily transmissible to humans and that the risk to the general public remains low."