Bird flu outbreak fears near Yorkshire with surveillance zone declared | UK | News
Fears of a bird flu outbreak have been sparked after a case was confirmed at a site near Yorkshire, for which large containment and surveillance zones were “declared”.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published an update on 3 March revealing that infection with “highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1” had been confirmed at a commercial site near Pickering, Thirsk and Malton, Yorkshire. A 3km containment zone and 10km surveillance zone were “declared” around the facility and all poultry birds on the premises were “humanely culled”. These measures are valid from 18.40 until the Ministry’s declaration is withdrawn or replaced with a new declaration.
H5N1 is a subtype of the influenza A virus that causes bird flu disease, commonly referred to as “bird flu.” It has been confirmed in the past in poultry populations in Asia, Russia and some southern European countries. Although this is an avian disease, it has been shown to be rarely transmissible to humans in Southeast Asia.
People who transport poultry are also required to keep records and not organize or attend bird gatherings such as fairs, markets, shows or sales.
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There are four types that have caused concern in recent years:
- H5N1 (since 1997)
- H7N9 (since 2013)
- H5N6 (since 2014)
- H5N8 (since 2016)
Bird flu is spread through the saliva, mucus and feces of infected birds and can cause serious respiratory illness.
Symptoms include very high fever, muscle pain, headache or cough, or shortness of breath. For medical advice, Contact the NHS.
There have been a handful of cases of bird flu infecting humans in the UK, but the risk to the general public is considered very low.
