The chief veterinary officers (CVO) from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for the whole of Great Britain.
From midday today (Monday, October 17), it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers in Great Britain to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the threat of the disease.
The AIPZ comes as the UK continues to face its largest ever outbreak of bird flu, with 190 cases confirmed across the United Kingdom since late October 2021.
30 of these cases have occurred since the beginning of this month.
In a joint statement today, the three CVOs said:
“Bird keepers have faced the largest ever outbreak of avian flu this year and with winter brings an even more increased risk to flocks as migratory birds return to the United Kingdom.
“Scrupulous biosecurity and hygiene measures is the best form of defence, which is why we have declared an AIPZ across Great Britain, meaning that all bird keepers must take action to help prevent the disease spreading to more poultry and other domestic birds.”
The officers said that, regardless of the amount of birds kept, it is now legally required that the enhanced biosecurity requirements are met to protect birds from the disease.
The nationwide AIPZ builds on the additional biosecurity measures that were brought in last week as part of the regional housing order which covers Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex.
The AIPZ, now in force across Great Britain, does not include a nationwide requirement to house birds.
However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said that this is being kept under constant review.
The AIPZ will be in place until further notice and will be kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to monitor and manage the risks of bird flu.
