April 6, 2023

Defra lowers risk of poultry exposure to bird flu to medium

The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have lowered the risk of poultry exposure to highly pathogenic bird flu in the country from high to medium, Agriland reported.

A high rating indicates the event occurs very often with low uncertainty, while a medium rating denotes the event occurs regularly with high uncertainty, where there are substantial biosecurity breaches and poor biosecurity.

According to Defra and APHA, the risk of bird flu in wild birds remains high.

The UK is still an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ). To prevent and stop the spread of bird flu, strict biosecurity rules must be followed by law.

AIPZ also requires birdkeepers in England and Wales to house their birds to protect them from the disease.

Since October 1 last year, there have been 176 confirmed cases of the H5N1 strain of the virus in the UK.

There have been 149 confirmed cases in England, 21 in Scotland, five in Wales, and one in Northern Ireland.

Since the outbreak began in October 2021, there have been 284 cases in the UK.

-      Agriland