Bird flu outbreak fears as ‘highly pathogenic’ case found near UK village | UK | News
A case of bird flu has been confirmed in the Midlands as the highly contagious disease has led to the culling of poultry. On Saturday, the government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) detected the case in commercial poultry near Hallow in Worcestershire. The agency wrote about X: “Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been confirmed in commercial poultry near Hallow, Malvern Hills, Worcestershire.
“Bird keepers must remain vigilant and adhere to strict biosecurity measures to prevent future outbreaks.” The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has since established a 3km containment zone and a 10km surveillance zone and will humanely cull all poultry.
On the same day, two more cases of bird flu were confirmed at large commercial poultry facilities in Norfolk. Defra said the H5N1 virus was discovered near Attleborough and another near Feltwell.
In addition to protection and surveillance zones, culling measures also apply.
Earlier this week, a case of bird flu was also confirmed at a farm with thousands of turkeys near Wells-next-the-Sea.
On 31 October the disease was found in a large commercial poultry unit near Ormesby St Margaret.
Defra has implemented strict measures in a “bird flu prevention zone” across Britain, saying strict biosecurity and hygiene regulations must be followed to prevent the disease.
These measures were implemented for breeders and sellers of poultry products with more than 50 animals.
Defra argued the risk to the public was minimal but strongly recommended that wild birds that were not dead or sick should not be handled or moved.
Thousands of migratory cranes have been killed in France following a severe outbreak of bird flu.
According to the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), emergency teams and farmers culled up to 10,000 cranes in the Grand Est region.
More than 5,000 carcasses were collected near Lac du Der, where the birds stop during their annual migration.
