GovWire

Contents:

• Latest situation
• All bird flu cases and disease zones
• Bird flu guidance
• Vaccines
• Latest GOV.UK news stories
• Risk levels and outbreak assessments
• Wild birds
• Bird flu webinars
• Defra policies and contingency plans
• Bird flu legislation

Latest situation

In the United Kingdom, there have been 179 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 since 1 October 2022:

• 150 cases in England
• 21 cases in Scotland
• 7 cases in Wales
• 1 case in Northern Ireland

There have been 285 cases of (HPAI)H5N1 in England since the H5N1 outbreak started in October 2021.

In the United Kingdom, there has been 1 confirmed case of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H7N3 since 1 October 2022. This case was confirmed in Scotland on 20 March 2023.

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 26 April

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance in the zones, the 3 km protection zone has ended and the 10km surveillance zone has been revoked for a premises near Thetford, Breckland, Norfolk (AIV 2023/18).

Update 25 April

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance in the zones, the 3 km captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone has been revoked for a premises near Bakewell, Derbyshire Dales, Derbyshire (AIV 2023/08).

Update 23 April

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry at a premises near Montgomery, Powys, Wales on 23 April 2023 (AIV2023/25). All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled. This premises is in Wales but the disease control zone extends into England. A surveillance zone in England has been declared for the portion of the 10km surveillance zone surrounding the premises which extends into England. See the Welsh Government website for details of the protection zone and surveillance zone in Wales.

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance within the zone, the 10 km surveillance zone surrounding the premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire (AIV2022/229) has been revoked.

Update 21 April

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successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance in the zones, the 10km surveillance zone has been revoked for the following locations:

• third premises near North Somercotes, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (AIV 2022/160))
• fourth premises near North Somercotes, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (AIV 2022/167)
• premises near North Thoresby, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (AIV 2022/174)

Update 20 April

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance in the zones, the 3 km captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone has been revoked for a premises near Horley, Reigate and Banstead, Surrey (AIV 2022/233).

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:

• spot and report bird flu in poultry and other captive birds
• report dead wild birds
• prevent bird flu and stop it spreading
• follow the rules in disease zones
• house your birds safely
• follow the rules if you keep racing pigeons, birds of prey and other captive birds

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

Bird keepers must maintain scrupulous biosecurity standards as housing measures set to be lifted.

Consultation launched on new registration rules for all bird keepers in Great Britain.

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

Risk levels and outbreak assessments

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

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

• medium (event occurs regularly) (with high uncertainty) where there are substantial biosecurity breaches and poor biosecurity
• low (event is rare but does occur) (with high uncertainty) where good biosecurity is applied

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

• risk and outbreak assessments
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