Bird flu outbreak: ALL THE LATEST INFO

Some strains of avian influenza cause a notifiable disease. If you suspect any strain of avian influenza you must tell your nearest Animal and Plant and Health Agency (APHA) office immediately. Failure to do so is an offence.

Highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza has been confirmed in ducks in Yorkshire. The H5N8 strain of avian flu is a very low risk to public health and no risk to the food chain. Humane culling of 6,000 ducks is underway on the affected farm.

A protection zone (PZ) of 3km and surveillance zone (SZ) of 10km are in place around the infected premises as specified in the declaration applying these restrictions (together with a map of the affected area).

Within these control zones a variety of different controls are in place to prevent the spread of disease. These include restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure. There are also restrictions on bird gatherings (fairs, shows, exhibitions) and the release of game birds.

We are taking immediate and robust action and an investigation is underway to understand the origin of the disease and confirm there are no further cases.

If you keep poultry it is essential that you maintain goodbiosecurity, are vigilant for any signs of disease, and seek prompt advice from your vet if you have any concerns.

About avian influenza
How to spot avian influenza: There are 2 types of avian influenza.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is the more serious type. It is often fatal in birds.

The main clinical signs of HPAI in birds are: swollen head, blue discolouration of neck and throat, loss of appetite, respiratory distress such as gaping beak, coughing, sneezing, gurgling, rattling, diarrhoea, fewer eggs laid.

Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) is usually less serious. It can cause mild breathing problems, but affected birds will not always show clear signs of infection.

The severity of LPAI depends on the type of bird and whether it has any other illnesses.

How avian influenza is spread

The disease spreads from bird to bird by direct contact or through contaminated body fluids and faeces.

The avian influenza virus changes frequently creating new strains and there is a constant risk that one of the new strains may spread easily among people. But there is no evidence that any recent strain of avian influenza has been able to spread directly between people.

Avian influenza isn’t an airborne disease.

Biosecurity guidance

You can help prevent avian influenza by practising good biosecurity measures on your premises. These include:

strictly limiting and controlling access to poultry flocks
wearing clean overalls and footwear when entering poultry farms. Protective clothing and footwear should be removed and either cleansed and disinfected, laundered or disposed of after use
cleansing and disinfecting all vehicles after each journey to a poultry farm
having disinfectant and cleaning material ready at farm entrances, so essential visitors can disinfect themselves before entering and leaving premises
minimising contact between poultry and wild birds, preventing accumulation of standing water and removing spilled feed that could attract wild birds, and maintaining buildings to ensure that wild birds do not nest or roost in them

Guidance for the public

Some types of avian influenza can pass to people, but this is very rare. It usually requires very close contact between the person and infected birds.

For more information on avian influenza in people, read Public Health England’s advice.

If you employ people who work with poultry or work with poultry yourself, you can also read advice from the Health and Safety Executive on protecting workers from avian influenza.

Food safety

Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice is that avian influenza does not pose a food safety risk for consumers. See FSA website.

Pet animals

Guidance on preventing the spread of avian influenza to pet birds is available. It is rare for cats and other pet animals to become infected with the virus.

Wild birds

If you find 5 or more wild birds dead in the same location, you should report them to the Defra helpline (Tel: 03459 33 55 77).

Trade, import and export issues

Exports to the EU.

As soon as disease is confirmed we put in place measures in accordance with Council Directive 2005/94/EC. The premises concerned has been under restriction since Friday 14 November which means no trade has been allowed since then. In addition, restriction zones (up to 10km), from which trade is not allowed, are in place and we are tracing all recent movements from the infected premises.

Imports from the EU.

EU trade relies on strict certification for movement of live poultry, day old chicks and hatching eggs. We are working closely with the Commission and authorities in the Netherlands and Germany to determine all potential routes of introduction of disease. Products such as poultry meat, table eggs and poultry products are not subject to certification within the EU. However, as a general rule only healthy birds are allowed to enter the food chain and therefore should not pose a risk.

Exports to Third Countries.

Exports of poultry and poultry related products are generally all certified in accordance with OIE rules on disease freedom, which provide for imports from free zones/regions and compartments/establishments, but some trading partners require the whole country to be free. We will be working closely with industry partners here and abroad to ensure that measures are not more trade restrictive than necessary and that safe trade can continue.

Imports from Third Countries.

EU trade rules approve only a very limited number of countries outside the EU for import into the EU. All live poultry and poultry related products including table eggs must be certified as disease free and therefore suitable for trade.

Movement controls and licences.

This is a summary of restrictions and movement controls in place. Definitive information is contained in the legislation and thedeclaration.

Restrictions include:

• isolating suspect poultry and other captive birds from other poultry and wild birds
• preventing movement of poultry and other captive birds on to and off the premises
• preventing movement of other things liable to transmit disease (eg people, vehicles and eggs) on to and off the premises
• cleansing and disinfection at entrances and exits to the premises
• erecting warning signs at appropriate places at the premises

Infected premises:

Restrictions already imposed at suspicion stage remain in force. Susceptible animals are being humanely culled. Their carcases, eggs and any other contaminated material will be disposed of and initial cleansing and disinfection carried out.

• Record keeping: movements of poultry, eggs and visitors (the latter to/from premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept).
• Housing or isolation: poultry and other captive birds must be kept in their buildings or kept isolated from other poultry/captive birds and wild birds.
• Movement restrictions: movements of the things listed are subject to restrictions.
• Restrictions – poultry litter, manure and slurry: cannot be removed from premises or spread except under licence.
• Requirements – fresh meat and meat products: requirements relating to marking, sourcing, cutting, transportation and storage will be in place.
• Biosecurity: appropriate measures must be put in place for people entering or leaving premises where poultry, other captive birds or eggs are kept.
• Ban on bird gatherings: bird gatherings (such as shows exhibitions) are not permitted within the zone.
• Ban on the release of game birds: the release of game birds is not permitted within the zone.

Licences

Licences are not currently available. This decision will be reviewed as the situation evolves.

Disease control strategy

A confirmed case of avian influenza will be controlled in line with the contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases and thenotifiable avian disease control strategy.

Vaccination

Preventive vaccination is not recommended as a means to protect Great Britain against an avian influenza outbreak. Defra will review this decision as the current situation evolves.

Exit strategy

At present, there is a high level of uncertainty about where avian influenza may exist. This will become clearer as surveillance in the control zones to check if disease is present, tracing of contacts of the infected premises and the epidemiological investigation progress.

Changes to restrictive measures currently in place will be informed by risk assessment and expert advice. Legislation sets out the minimum time controls must be in place.

Government will address issues relating to what operations industry can reasonably continue to carry out without increasing risk of disease through discussion with the avian core group and other stakeholders.

Compensation

You may be entitled to compensation if your poultry are killed under orders from Government/APHA:

• For poultry not diseased at the time of killing, compensation is payable at the value of the birds immediately before killing.
• For poultry dead or diseased at the time of killing, no compensation is payable.
• APHA makes an assessment of the disease status of the poultry, based on clinical judgement of the number of birds considered to be infected with avian influenza.
• Compensation is not paid for consequential losses.
• Only poultry killed under orders from Government/APHA can be compensated for.

Valuation is determined by one of the following methods:

APHA use poultry valuation tables to calculate compensation for poultry culled to prevent the spread of avian influenza.
APHA approved valuer who is suitably qualified and experienced to value the species and type of poultry
Specialist poultry consultants (when no other method of valuation is possible).

Please consult your local APHA office for further details.

Breeds at Risk and other animals potentially eligible for sparing from a culling policy

Certain categories of birds (see below) may be considered for sparing from culling, provided that vets determine that disease control is not compromised. However, such exemptions are not guaranteed and will be considered on a case-by-case basis following a veterinary risk assessment of the premises and consideration of wider issues and impacts. The types of premises at which this discretion may be applied are:

• non-commercial premises
• zoos
• pet shops
• wildlife parks
• fenced areas where poultry or other captive birds are kept for scientific purposes

For purposes related to conservation of a species or genetic resource (please see Breeds at risk that may be spared). If this discretion is applied, APHA will serve a notice requiring strict biosecurity measures to be followed including requirements to bring birds indoors or keep them isolated, and in such a way that they do not have contact with other poultry or other captive birds. Similar steps must also be taken to minimise contact with wild birds.

Birds not culled are subject to further surveillance and testing, and not allowed to be moved (unless licensed) off the premises until laboratory tests indicate that they no longer pose a risk to the further spread of avian influenza.

Legislation on avian influenza

The legislation covering avian influenza includes:

• The Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No.2) Order 2006
• The Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Poultry) (England) Order 2006
• The Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) (England) Order 2006
• The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006

Enforcement provisions

Avian influenza controls are enforced by local authorities.

Breach of the controls in place is an offence, with a penalty of up to £5000 on summary conviction and up to 3 months’ imprisonment per offence.