New case of hen flu confirmed as housing measures relaxed

Authorities have confirmed a brand new case of highly-pathogenic hen flu in Nottinghamshire, simply days after the federal government relaxed the UK’s strict biosecurity guidelines.

Avian influenza of the H5N1 subtype was confirmed on Saturday (7 Could) in industrial poultry at a farm close to Lowdham.

Defra mentioned {that a} 3km Safety Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone had been put in place across the premises.

The contemporary case can be of renewed concern to the poultry sector, because it comes simply days after the federal government relaxed the UK’s necessary poultry housing order.

The strict measure was launched on 29 November 2021 to assist stem the UK’s worst ever outbreak of extremely pathogenic avian influenza.

As a part of the order, it was a authorized requirement for all farmers and keepers to maintain their birds indoors and to comply with strict biosecurity measures.

However late final month, Defra diminished the hen flu threat degree for wild birds from ‘very excessive’ to ‘excessive’ and ‘medium’ to ‘low’ for poultry, the place good biosecurity is utilized.

It’s thought the relief of the principles was on the premise that migratory birds had left the nation to return to their summer season breeding grounds.

Larger ambient temperatures additionally performed a task in serving to to scale back the extent of virus within the setting.

In a joint assertion, the UK’s 4 chief veterinary officers mentioned: “While the lifting of the necessary housing measures can be welcome information to hen keepers, scrupulous biosecurity stays probably the most important type of defence to assist maintain your birds protected.

“It’s due to the arduous work of all hen keepers and vets, who’ve performed their half in preserving flocks protected this winter, that we’re able to take this motion.

“Nonetheless, the current instances of avian influenza present that it’s very important that hen keepers stay vigilant for indicators of illness and keep stringent requirements of biosecurity.”

In England alone, there was 97 instances of hen flu, whereas Scotland and Wales have recorded eight and 5 instances respectively.