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 175 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 since 1 October 2022:

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

There have been 283 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.

Further update 30 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 Long Stratton, South Norfolk, Norfolk (AIV 2022/142).

Update 30 March

Defra together with Welsh Government have published our updated Mitigation strategy for avian influenza in wild birds in England and Wales.

The mitigation strategy, originally published in August 2022, provides guidance to conservation charities and land managers including local authorities on how to prepare and respond to suspected and confirmed findings of avian influenza in wild birds. The strategy has been updated to reflect the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice.

Update 28 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 Hatton, South Derbyshire, Derbyshire (AIV 2022/192).

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successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance within the zone, the 10km Surveillance Zone has been revoked for the following: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 Boston, Lincolnshire (AIV 2022/176)
• a premises near Sleaford, North Kesteven, Lincolnshire (AIV 2022/113)

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

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 high (the event occurs very often).

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
• 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
• weekly reports of bird flu cases in wild birds in Great Britain
• findings of bird flu in non-avian wildlife
• findings of bird flu in captive mammals

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 (