- There have been further findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and other captive birds in Norfolk, the East Riding of Yorkshire and a further increase in the assessed risk of HPAI in wild birds and poultry.
- A regional avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity and housing measures has been declared in:
- the unitary authorities of the East Riding of Yorkshire
- the City of Kingston upon Hull
- all districts in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk
- From noon on Monday 23 December 2024 all bird keepers in the AIPZ must keep their birds housed to protect them from bird flu. This applies to all kept birds in the area including pet birds, commercial flocks and just a few birds in a backyard flock.
- These housing and biosecurity measures are to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring.
- Housing measures also apply in any 3km Protection Zone in force surrounding an infected premises where HPAI has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds.
- Keepers can check if they are in an avian influenza disease control or prevention zone using the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) interactive map.
- Further information on the measures that apply in the zones can be found in Defra’s Bird flu: rules in disease control zones in England - GOV.UK guidance and the Bird flu: regional avian influenza prevention zone (East of England) - with housing measures - GOV.UK zone declaration available via the notifiable disease case finder on gov.uk.
Risk Levels
- The risk of HPAI H5 in wild birds in Great Britain has increased from high (event occurs very often) to very high (event occurs almost certainly).
- The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 in Great Britain:
- has increased from medium (event occurs regularly) (with low uncertainty) to high (event occurs very often) (with medium uncertainty) where there is suboptimal or poor biosecurity
- has increased from low (event is rare but does occur) (with low uncertainty) to medium (event occurs regularly) (with medium uncertainty) where good biosecurity is consistently applied at all times
- Further information on the evidence which supports these risk levels can be found in APHA’s Updated Outbreak Assessment #6 High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in Great Britain and Europe available as part of the ‘Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring’ collection on gov.uk.
