4 Nov 2021
Data on wild migrating birds and confirmed cases in all three nations in Great Britain led to chief vets declaring an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone to mitigate winter risk to kept birds.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Image © birgl / Pixabay
The CVOs for the UK, Scotland and Wales have declared a bird flu prevention zone across the whole of Great Britain amid increasing cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
The measure, announced last night (3 November), aims to mitigate the potential spread of avian influenza in winter and puts a legal requirement on keepers of all birds – pet, backyard and commercial – to introduce higher biosecurity measures.
Keepers of flocks above 500 birds will have to restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, with workers needing to change clothing and footwear before entering any enclosures, and site vehicles requiring regular cleaning and disinfecting to help limit risk of disease spread.
Joint declaration of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for Great Britain by UK CVO Christine Middlemiss – acting for England – and counterparts Sheila Voas in Scotland and Christianne Glossop in Wales came after H5N1 was confirmed on premises in all three nations. It was also based on additional data from Europe.
Multiple findings of HPAI H5N1 have been declared in wild birds from sites across Great Britain, resulting in the risk of incursion for wild birds being raised from medium to high – denoting the event occurs often.
As a result, the risk of exposure for poultry and captive birds in Great Britain has increased from low to medium, the point at which increased biosecurity measures are a required standard.
The measures do not currently include a requirement for birds to be housed, but this will be kept under constant review, the CVOs said.
UK health agencies advised the risk to public health was low and food standards agencies stressed the food safety risk for UK consumers was also low.
In their joint statement, the three CVOs said: “Following a number of detections of avian influenza in wild birds across Great Britain we have declared an AIPZ across the whole of Great Britain.
“This means that all bird keepers must take action now to prevent the disease spreading to poultry and other domestic birds.
“Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, you are now legally required to introduce higher biosecurity standards on your farm or smallholding. It is in your interests to do so to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.
“The UK health agencies have confirmed that the risk to public health is very low and UK food standards agencies advise that bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.”
Birds had to be culled at a rescue centre in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, after H5N1 was detected last week, and the same highly pathogenic strain has now been confirmed in birds at a premises in Angus, which were also culled. A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone were imposed around both premises.
On 2 November – the day before the AIPZ announcement – Mrs Glossop confirmed a case of H5N1 at a premises near Chirk, Wrexham. Similar control zones were introduced around the premises, covering parts of Wales and England.
No cases of avian influenza have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, though vigilance has been urged.
Compulsory measures brought in with the AIPZ declaration include keeping ducks and geese separate from other poultry, ensuring areas where birds are kept are unattractive to wild birds – for instance, through netting ponds or removing wild bird food sources – and feeding and watering birds in enclosed areas.
Footwear needs to be cleansed and disinfected, wet or boggy areas fenced off and concrete areas disinfected, and free-ranging birds kept within fenced areas. Watercourses and permanent standing water must also be fenced off.
Biosecurity guidance and self-assessment checklists vets or keepers can access is available for England, for Scotland and for Wales.
