Two new cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, also known as bird flu, have been confirmed – one in Scotland and one in England
Bird flu was confirmed at a premises near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire on Sunday (September 10), and in commercial poultry at a premises near Warrington, South Warrington, Cheshire on Friday (September 8).
A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone has been declared around both premises.
The Scottish government has said that the level of risk associated with bird flu to poultry and other captive birds while low, “does not mean no risk”.
Although the risk has been reduced it said “infection is still present in the environment and amongst wild birds”.
The Scottish government also said that contact between birds and gull species is at “particular risk at this time” so it is advised to maintain as much separation between poultry/captive birds and wild birds as possible.
If you keep poultry (including game birds or as pets), you are recommended to maintain high biosecurity standards.
The risk of bird flu in wild birds in Great Britain is very common so it is assessed as high. The risk of poultry exposure to bird flu in Great Britain is assessed in two “low” categories.
It is categorised as low where the event is rare but does occur with high uncertainty where there are substantial biosecurity breaches and poor biosecurity.
It is also categorised as low where the event is also rare but does occur yet with low uncertainty where good biosecurity is applied.
Preventing bird flu
Among measures to keep up high biosecurity, keepers should follow the following advice to try prevent bird flu from infiltrating their flocks:
- Keep vehicles clean and sanitary to reduce the risk of the disease spreading.
- Restrict non-essential individuals from entering the sites can also aid in reducing the spread risk and also ensuring clothing and footwear is changed before entering the bird sites.
