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Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England

Animal Plant Health Agency

March 9
19:37 2023

Contents:

Latest situation

Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) is in an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ). By law you must follow strict biosecurity rules to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading.

In England and Wales the AIPZ also means you must house your birds to protect them from bird flu.

In the United Kingdom, there have been 174 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 since 1 October 2022:

  • 147 cases in England
  • 21 cases in Scotland
  • 5 cases in Wales
  • 1 case in Northern Ireland

There have been 282 cases of (HPAI)H5N1 in England since the H5N1 outbreak started in October 2021.

If youre in a bird flu disease zone you must follow the rules for that zone and check if you need a licence to move poultry, poultry by-products, eggs, material or mammals.

Update 9 March

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance within the zone, the 3km captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone has been revoked for the following:

  • a premises near Dorchester, West Dorset, Dorset (AIV 2022/221)

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance within the zone, the 10km surveillance zone has been revoked for the following:

  • a premises near Thirsk, Hambleton, North Yorkshire (AIV 2022/175)
  • a premises near Northallerton, Hambleton, North Yorkshire (AIV 2022/196)

Update 8 March

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance within the zones, the 3km protection zone has ended and the area that formed the protection zone becomes part of the 10km surveillance zone for a premises near Pickering, Ryedale, North Yorkshire (AIV 2022/230).

All bird flu cases and disease zones

Find details of all bird flu cases and disease zones in England.

Find details of bird flu cases in Scotland, cases in Wales and cases in Northern Ireland.

Bird flu guidance

Find out how to:

Find out when game birds are kept or wild and the rules you need to follow if you keep, release or catch them up.

Vaccines

You cannot vaccinate poultry or most captive birds against bird flu in England.

You can only vaccinate zoo birds in England if you meet eligibility criteria and get authorisation from APHA. Only zoos or collections holding a current zoo licence can apply for vaccination.

Defra continues to invest in bird flu research and monitors the situation globally.

We work with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to monitor the development of vaccines for birds.

Latest GOV.UK news stories

Mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds are now in force across England.

Find details of the measures that apply in England: AIPZ declaration including housing measures.

New package of measures announced to support poultry industry with bird flu.

Risk levels and outbreak assessments

The risk of highly pathogenic (HPAI) avian influenza H5 in wild birds in Great Britain is assessed as very high (the event occurs almost certainly).

The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 in Great Britain is assessed as:

  • high (event occurs very often) (with low uncertainty) where there are substantial biosecurity breaches and poor biosecurity
  • medium (event occurs regularly) (with high uncertainty) where good biosecurity is applied

Find details of the evidence that supported these decisions in the:

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advise that bird flu is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general publics health is very low.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

Wild birds

Find out how to report dead wild birds.

Defra?has set out practical information to support land managers, the public and ornithological and environmental organisations in their response to the growing threat of bird flu.

The mitigation strategy for avian influenza in wild birds in England and Wales explains how these groups, together with the government and its delivery partners, can reduce the impact on wild bird populations whilst protecting public health, the wider environment and the rural economy.

Landowners, local authorities and other organisations can download and print bird flu posters to display on site when there is

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