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Late yesterday DEFRA confirmed an outbreak of HPAI H5N8 in a large flock of farmed breeding pheasants near Wyre, Lancashire. The flock of roughly 10,000 birds will be destroyed.
While not as hard hit as many other countries on the continent, this is the 5th outbreak in poultry in the UK since mid-December .
Two updates from DEFRA:
Avian flu confirmed at a farm in Wyre, Lancashire
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Last updated: 25 January 2017, see all updates
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed H5N8 avian flu at a premises in Wyre, Lancashire.
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed H5N8 avian flu in a flock of farmed breeding pheasants at a premises in Wyre, Lancashire. A 3km Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone have been put in place around the infected premises to limit the risk of the disease spreading.
The flock is estimated to contain approximately 10,000 birds. A number have died and the remaining live birds at the premises are being humanely culled. A full investigation is under way to determine the source of the infection. Public Health England advise that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the Food Standards Agency is clear that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.
Read the latest advice and information on avian flu in the UK, including actions to reduce the risk of the disease spreading, advice for anyone who keeps poultry or captive birds and details of previous cases. Journalists with queries should contact Defra press office.
Avian influenza (bird flu) in winter 2016 to 2017(Continue . .. )
From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Food Standards Agency and Public Health England
25 January 2017, see all updates
The latest situation on avian influenza (bird flu) in the UK and advice on how to reduce the risks.
Avian influenza (bird flu) is a disease of birds. The H5N8 strain of the disease has been found in wild and farmed birds in the UK. A number of measures are in place to reduce the risk of the disease spreading.
Public Health England advises that the risk to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency has said there is no food safety risk for UK consumers.
Where avian influenza has been confirmed, we put restrictions in place to limit the spread of disease, and investigate the source of the infection.
Latest situation
The H5N8 strain of the disease has been confirmed at a commercial game farm in Lancashire, at two separate poultry farms in Lincolnshire and in backyard flocks in North Yorkshire and Carmarthenshire.
Restrictions remain in place at the following sites:
Wyre, Lancashire (confirmed on 24 January 2017)
East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (confirmed on 16 January 2017)
Settle, North Yorkshire (confirmed on 6 January 2017)
Carmarthenshire, Wales (confirmed on 4 January 2017)
Restrictions have now been lifted at the following sites:
Louth, Lincolnshire (confirmed on 16 December, all restrictions lifted 18 January)
Check if you are covered by these restrictions using our interactive map.
The same strain has also been found in wild birds in England, Scotland and Wales. We publish a list of cases where we find avian influenza in wild birds.
H5N8 has been circulating in wild birds in Europe for several months – you can read more on the situation in Europe in the latest veterinary outbreak assessment.
Just as we've seen across much of Europe, detections of H5N8 in wild or migratory birds in the UK continues to be elevated, particularly when compared to its initial arrival in 2014-15.
Nearly 3 dozen birds have tested positive since mid December.
See yesterday's FLI risk assessment for a discussion of the role that wild birds appear to be playing in the spread of this HP avian virus.
