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Protection zone in place after second case of bird flu detected on Anglesey

24 Oct 2022 2 minute read
Image by Bernd Focken from Pixabay

A second case of bird flu has been confirmed on Anglesey.

It comes after the first case was discovered last week. The second case was discovered at a poultry site.

A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been declared around the infected premises to limit the risk of disease spread, the Welsh Government said.

An interactive map of avian influenza disease control zones currently in place across GB can be found here.

Bird movements and gatherings are restricted within these zones and all holdings that keep birds must be declared, the government added.

“Birdkeepers have been urged to remain vigilant and ensure they have high levels of biosecurity in place,” the Welsh Government said.

The UK health agencies advise that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the UK food standards agencies advise that avian influenza poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.

However, responsibilities of people who keep birds include:

  • Staying vigilant for signs of the disease such as increased mortality, respiratory distress and drops in food or water intake, or egg production.
  • Consulting a veterinary surgeon in the first instance if your birds are unwell.
  • If they suspect that avian influenza could be causing illness in birds, they must, by law, report this to the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This will trigger a disease investigation by APHA vets.
  • They must apply strict biosecurity measures to prevent any materials, equipment, vehicles, clothing, feed or bedding that could have been contaminated from wild birds coming onto your premises. Full details and a checklist are available here.

Earlier this month, mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex were introduced after a decision by the UK’s chief veterinary officer.

The measures require birdkeepers in parts of England to keep their birds indoors to help protect their flocks from avian flu.


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