Authorized necessities for poultry and different captive birds to be housed indoors are to be prolonged to all areas of England amid the UK’s largest ever outbreak of avian influenza.
The obligatory measures are to be launched from midnight on 7 November.
There have been greater than 200 circumstances of avian influenza, often known as fowl flu, confirmed within the UK since late October 2021.
The illness has been detected at greater than 70 premises because the starting of October and there have been a number of stories in wild birds.
The most recent announcement got here after a choice by the chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, who’s encouraging all fowl keepers to make use of this week to organize, together with taking steps to safeguard animal welfare, consulting their non-public vet and increasing housing the place obligatory.
Earlier in October, obligatory housing measures had been launched in what the Division for Surroundings, Meals and Rural Affairs (Defra) described as “scorching spot” areas of Norfolk, Suffolk and components of Essex.
Middlemiss stated the choice to increase the measure throughout the nation was not taken frivolously “however is the easiest way to guard your birds from this extremely infectious illness”.
The UK Well being Safety Company has suggested that the chance to public well being from the virus could be very low and the Meals Requirements Company recommendation stays unchanged, stating that avian influenzas pose a really low meals security threat for UK shoppers.
Middlemiss stated: “We at the moment are going through, this yr, the most important ever outbreak of fowl flu and are seeing fast escalation within the variety of circumstances on industrial farms and in yard birds throughout England.
“The chance of stored birds being uncovered to illness has reached a degree the place it’s now obligatory for all birds to be housed till additional discover. Scrupulous biosecurity and separating flocks in all methods from wild birds stay the most effective type of defence.
“Whether or not you retain only a few birds or hundreds, from Monday 7 November onwards it’s essential to preserve yours indoors. This determination has not been taken frivolously, however is the easiest way to guard your birds from this extremely infectious illness.”
Defra stated that housing birds, mixed with stringent biosecurity measures, can vastly scale back threat.
Chook keepers have been suggested to report suspicion of illness of their birds to Defra’s animal and plant well being company on 03000 200 301.
A Welsh authorities spokesman stated obligatory housing of poultry wouldn’t be launched in Wales.
The spokesman stated: “We are going to proceed to watch the state of affairs in Wales. All keepers should preserve their birds protected by rigorously making use of the biosecurity measures within the Wales avian influenza prevention zone, and be vigilant for indicators of the illness.”