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New case of Avian influenza confirmed in Powys

08 Feb 2023 2 minute read
Photo Owen Humphreys PA Images

A case of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza H5N1, otherwise known as bird flu, has been confirmed at a premises near Newtown

A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone (Avian Influenza), or CBMCZ zone, has been declared around the infected premises, to limit the risk of disease spread.

Within this zone, bird movements and gatherings are restricted and all holdings that keep birds must be declared.

Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys, said: “It is vital keepers of birds remain vigilant and ensure they have the very highest levels of biosecurity in place.

“It is also important people do not touch or pick up any sick or dead birds to avoid spreading the virus.

“Public health advice remains that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for consumers.”

New compulsory biosecurity and housing measures to further protect against avian influenza were introduced in Wales last December after surveillance of avian influenza suggested a heightened risk over  over the winter months.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of people who keep birds are:

  • All keepers of kept birds should be vigilant for signs of the disease such as increased mortality, respiratory distress and drops in food or water intake, or egg production.
  • Consult your veterinary surgeon in the first instance if your birds are unwell.
  • If you or your vet suspect that avian influenza could be causing illness in your birds, you must, by law, report this to the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This will trigger a disease investigation by APHA vets.

Keepers must also apply strict biosecurity measures to prevent any materials, equipment, vehicles, clothing, feed or bedding that could have been contaminated from wild birds coming onto their premises.

There have been more than 200 cases of avian influenza confirmed in the UK since late October 2021, with 11 infections confirmed in Wales.

For the latest updates on Avian influenza (bird flu) visit https://gov.wales/avian-influenza-bird-flu-latest-update


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