10 Oct 2022
Stricter measures will be in place in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex amid a further rise in cases.
Allister Webb
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Image © klimkin / Pixabay
Bird flocks in three English counties will have to be kept indoors from later this week under tougher measures intended to reduce the spread of avian influenza.
The restriction – which covers Norfolk, Suffolk and large parts of Essex – follows the reporting of several new outbreaks across the three counties in recent days.
Bird keepers are being urged to expand their housing provision, if they need to, before the new rules come into force.
The new regional avian influenza prevention zone measures, which were announced at the weekend, will be implemented from 00:01am on Wednesday 12 October.
An update from Defra said the move was necessary following a further increase in cases in the area.
It continued: “The housing order legally requires all bird keepers in these hotspots to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.
“The chief veterinary officer is now encouraging all bird keepers in the affected districts to use the period between the announcement and 12 October to prepare, including taking steps to safeguard animal welfare, consult their private vet and expand housing where necessary.”
The zone covers all the districts of Norfolk and Suffolk plus the whole of Essex, excluding the Brentwood, Epping Forest and Uttlesford districts.
The latest reported outbreaks included two cases at sites near Attleborough, in the Breckland district of Norfolk, taking the total number of affected premises in that area to seven.
Another incident was recorded near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, the third in that area, along with three in Essex – two at sites near Heybridge and one at premises near Witham.
A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone were set up around each location. All birds on the affected sites will be culled.
In a separate development, avian flu has also been reported at premises near Burscough in Lancashire.
