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Guidance: Avian influenza (bird flu)

Animal Plant Health Agency

October 3
18:42 2022

Avian influenza (bird flu) mainly affects birds. It can also affect humans and other mammals.

Avian influenza (bird flu) is a notifiable animal disease. If you suspect any type of avian influenza in poultry or captive birds you must report it immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. In Wales, contact 0300 303 8268. In Scotland, contact your local Field Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence.

Reporting dead wild birds

You should call the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77) if you find:

  • one or more dead bird of prey or owl
  • 3 or more dead gulls or wild waterfowl (swans, geese and ducks)
  • 5 or more dead birds of any species

Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find. For further information see our advice to the public.

All bird keepers (whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) must keep a close watch on them for signs of disease and maintain good biosecurity at all times. If you have any concerns about the health of your birds, seek prompt advice from your vet.

You should register your poultry, even if only kept as pets, so we can contact you during an outbreak. This is a legal requirement if you have 50 or more birds. Poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeon (bred for meat), partridge, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants.

You can sign up to our alerts service to keep up to date with the latest news. You can also get Defra email alerts or subscribe to Defras RSS feed by copying and pasting this RSS feed URL into your feed reader.

Latest situation

Update 3 October

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed on 3 October 2022 in birds at a premises near Kidsgrove, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone was put in place around the premises. All birds on the infected premises will be humanely culled.

Update 1 October

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed on 1 October 2022 in poultry at the following:

  • second premises near Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk, Suffolk
  • third premises near Attleborough, Breckland, Norfolk
  • fourth premises near Attleborough, Breckland, Norfolk

A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone were put in place around each premises. All birds on the infected premises will be humanely culled.

Further Update 29 September

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed on 29 September 2022 in poultry at a premises near Lowestoft, East Suffolk, Suffolk. A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone were put in place around the premises. All birds on the infected premises will be humanely culled.

For details of the cases and the measures that apply in the disease control zones in England, see theavian influenza: cases and disease control zones in England guidance. You can also find out about licences for movements from disease control zones in force.

Following a number of detections of avian influenza in poultry and wild and captive birds across east of England a regional Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) was declared on 27 September in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex. There is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers to implement enhanced biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks. Details of the conditions and a map of the zone can be found in thedeclaration.

Declaration of a regional Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (England Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Essex)

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All poultry gatherings, including at fairs, shows and markets, remain banned, due to a large number of flocks mixing together and the risk posed by any infections spreading across the country.

Stop the spread webinars

While the risk of avian influenza has reduced, cases of bird flu continue to be confirmed in both poultry and other captive birds. All bird keepers should continue to implement strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease from poultry and other captive birds.

Whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock, you can find out what you can do to keep your birds free of avian influenza by watching one our avian influenza stop the spread webinars.

Avian Influenza Prevention Zones

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for poultry and captive birds, introduced across Great Britain to help stop the spread of avian influenza (bird flu), was lifted at midday on 16 August 2022.

Separate AIPZ declarations were made in each UK administration. For further details in:

AIPZs in England

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