December 20, 2007

UK lifts remaining restrictions on bird flu

The British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has lifted the remaining disease control prohibitions following the outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in Suffolk, southeastern England.

The ministry lifted the surveillance, restriction zones and all restrictions on movements of poultry, following surveillance and tracing results showing the infection had been contained within the two farms in Suffolk.

Acting chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg said that though this marks the end of our active disease control measures in the affected area, Defra will continue to investigate the source of the virus introduction, and expect to publish a final epidemiology report in the new year.