Avian flu housing rules extended

Mandatory avian flu housing measures have been extended to several new areas of northern England in a bid to reduce transmission.

The expanded requirements were announced yesterday (7 April) and include “strictest biosecurity” regimes, which now affect bird keepers in Cumbria, County Durham, Northumberland and Tyneside.

The four areas have joined 13 other counties and administrative areas in England, plus the whole of Northern Ireland, under the tighter rules.

Defra update

An update issued by Defra on Friday 4 April, said the decision to extend the restrictions had been taken in response to “increased findings” of the virus among wild birds, as well as new cases in poultry and kept birds.

Since the current outbreak began last November, 56 avian flu cases have been confirmed in England, plus four in Northern Ireland and two in Scotland.

Many of the latest cases have been detected in the areas newly subject to housing requirements.

However, the most recently recorded case, which was confirmed on Saturday, was the sixth to be detected so far among commercial poultry in the Thirsk and Malton area of North Yorkshire.