New avian flu restrictions imposed and bluetongue zone extended

Bird keepers in several English counties have been placed under new restrictions following the declaration of an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ).

The move, announced on Friday 13 December, covers Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, the city of Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, following several H5N1 cases in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, officials have also confirmed a further extension of bluetongue restrictions in England after new cases were detected in several areas.

Confirmed cases

Seven avian flu cases, mostly of the H5N1 strain, have been confirmed in commercial poultry in England since early November.

The latest – the fourth to be detected in Norfolk alone – was confirmed at a site near Cranworth on Saturday, following the AIPZ declaration.

Although the prevention zone does require bird keepers to adopt stricter biosecurity measures at their premises, there is currently no requirement for all flocks to be housed, unless they are within localised 3km protection areas.

However, officials said that issue is being kept under “constant review”.

Bluetongue cases

Elsewhere, the number of confirmed bluetongue cases in England and Wales has now risen to 185 since the present outbreak began in late August.

In recent days, cases were detected in six counties, including one outside the restriction zone in Somerset following a positive post-movement test.

Officials have now extended the restricted zone to include parts of Dorset, plus the unitary areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, as well as additional areas of North Yorkshire, in response to recent cases near the previous zone boundaries in Berkshire, Hampshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Further cases have also been detected in Oxfordshire and Suffolk.