Chief veterinary officers for England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole of Great Britain, following a number of identified cases in both captive and wild birds this week.

Under the AIPZ, as of 5:00p.m yesterday (Wednesday, November 3), all bird keepers in Great Britain must legally follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flock from avian influenza (avian flu) - commonly known as bird flu.

The biosecurity measures bird keepers must take are as follows:

Keepers with over 500 birds must also restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, workers will need to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and site vehicles will need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

These measures also apply to ‘backyard owners’ with smaller numbers of poultry, including chickens, ducks and geese.

“Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, you are now legally required to introduce higher biosecurity standards on your farm or small holding,” chief veterinary officers for England, Scotland and Wales said in a joint statement.

The avian flu is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed form animals to humans, however the current risk of this is low, the statement added.

“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.”