November 14, 2023

Avian influenza detected in England, UK, first case since October 1

The United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed the presence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus at a property in Donnington, Lincolnshire County, in eastern England, UK, the first case reported in England since October 1, BBC News reported.

In response to the discovery, authorities have established a 3 km protection zone and a 10 km surveillance zone around the affected property. Stringent restrictions are in place, requiring the monitoring of all bird and egg movements within the protection zone.

The UK Health Security Agency said that bird flu primarily affects birds and poses a very low risk to the general public's health. Precautionary measures are being taken to contain the spread of the virus.

Bird flu, an infectious disease impacting poultry and wild birds, has been a longstanding concern. Typically, it intensifies in the autumn and subsides in the spring and summer. The virus can rapidly spread within domestic bird flocks through droppings, saliva, or contaminated feed and water.

According to Defra, more than 350 farms in the UK have reported avian influenza infections between 2020 and 2023. In Lincolnshire, a region with numerous poultry farmers, over a million birds were estimated to have been culled in the two months following December 2021, responding to a series of identified outbreaks.

-      BBC News