BirdAvian fluinfluenza (avian(bird influenza): how to spot it and report itflu)

All bird flu,keepers called(whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) must keep a close watch on them for signs of disease and maintain good biosecurity at all times. If you have any concerns about the health of your birds, seek prompt advice from your vet.

You should register your poultry, even if only kept as pets, so we can contact you during an outbreak. This is a legal requirement if you have 50 or more birds. Poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeon (bred for meat), partridge, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants.

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Latest situation

There have been 91 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI),) usuallyH5N1 showin someEngland (orsince all)1 ofOctober 2022. There have been 225 cases of (HPAI) H5N1 in England since the followingH5N1 signs.outbreak started on 27 October 2021.

Update 3 November

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry on 3 November 2022 at the following:

• suddenfifteenth death
• swollenpremises headnear Attleborough, Breckland, Norfolk
• closedsecond andpremises runnynear eyesHalesworth, East Suffolk, Suffolk
• lethargy

A 3km protection zone and depression

lying10km downsurveillance zone are in place around each of the premises. All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was also confirmed in non-commercial other captive birds at a premises near Lancaster, Lancashire. A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone is in place around the premises. All birds on the premises will be humanely culled.

Update 2 November

Mandatory housing measures for all poultry and unresponsiveness

lackcaptive birds are to be introduced to all areas of coordination

eatingEngland lessfrom than00:01 usual

lethargy

suddenon increaseMonday 7 November: these were announced on Monday 31 October.

The housing measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or decreasesize.

This will extend the mandatory housing measures already in waterforce consumption

headin the hot spot area of Suffolk, Norfolk and bodyparts shaking

droopingof Essex to the whole of England, following an increase in the wings

draggingnational risk of legs

twistingbird flu in wild birds to very high. See our press release for more information.

Find details of the headmeasures that will apply in the new England wide zone from 00.01 on Monday 7 November: Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) declaration including housing measures (England) (PDF, 273 KB, 12 pages)

Find details of cases and neck

swellingthe measures that apply in disease control zones.

Find out about licences for movements from disease control zones.

All poultry gatherings, including at fairs, shows and bluemarkets, discolourationremain banned, due to a large number of combflocks mixing together and wattles

the risk posed by any infections spreading across the country.

‘Stop the spread’ webinars

haemorrhagesWhile the risk of avian influenza has reduced, cases of bird flu continue to be confirmed in both poultry and rednessother oncaptive shanksbirds. All bird keepers should continue to implement strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of and eradicate the legsdisease from poultry and underother captive birds.

Whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock, you can find out what you can do to keep your birds free of avian influenza by watching one our avian influenza ‘stop the skinspread’ webinars.

Avian Influenza Prevention Zones

Following a change in the risk levels and an increase in the number of detections of avian influenza (bird flu) in kept and wild birds, the neckChief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have declared a UK wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds.

breathing

This difficultiesmeans suchthat asfrom gapingmidday (mouthon breathing),Monday nasal17 snickingOctober, (coughingit sound),was sneezing,a gurglinglegal orrequirement rattling

for all bird keepers in the UK to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu. Separate AIPZ declarations are available for each UK administration.

To help bird keepers comply with the rules, we’ve updated the biosecurity advice.

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) declaration for the whole of England (excluding Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex).

For further details in:

• feverScotland or- noticeablego increaseto inthe bodyScottish temperatureGovernment website
• discolouredWales or- loosego wateryto droppingsthe Welsh Government website
• stopNorthern orIreland significant– dropgo into eggthe productionDAERA website

Some

Norfolk, speciesSuffolk suchand asparts ducks,of geeseEssex

Following anda swansfurther canincrease carryin cases in the avianarea, influenzamandatory virushousing measures for all poultry and spreadcaptive itbirds withoutin showingNorfolk, anySuffolk signsand parts of illness.Essex were introduced on 12 October 2022.

BirdsThis infectedmeans withthat it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers in these areas to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the lessdisease, seriousregardless strainof type or size.

Details of birdthe flu,conditions calledand lowa pathogenicmap avianof influenzathe zone can be found in the declaration.

Regional Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (LPAIAIPZ) mayincluding nothousing showmeasures cleardeclaration signsfor Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of infection.Essex.

England TheyAIPZ mayreviews

The haveneed mildfor breathingfurther problems.regional Theseof signsEngland canwide indicateAvian birdInfluenza flu,Prevention butZones (AIPZs) will be kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to monitor and manage the risks of avian influenzainfluenza.

Any virusdecisions canon onlywhen to reintroduce a national zone with housing measures or regional AIPZ will be confirmedbased throughon laboratoryrisk tests.assessments based on the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice.

Enforcement

IfAvian youinfluenza controls, are concernedenforced aboutby the healthLocal Authority Animal Health Function (LAAHF), which is normally situated with the Trading Standards or Environmental Health Service of a local authority.

You should contact your birdslocal speakauthority to yourfind privateout vet.how to raise reports of non-compliance. If you suspectneed birdhelp flu,with this you orcan ask your vetlocal mustcouncil.

Risk reportlevel

The itincreased immediatelynumber of High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) detections in resident wild waterfowl species, particularly at inland locations, increases the risk to poultry. Furthermore, migratory waterfowl are continuing to arrive in Great Britain at their wintering sites, with numbers of arrivals expected to peak in the Animalcoming weeks, which will increase infection pressure for wild birds.

Therefore, the wild bird risk across Great Britain is increased from high to very high. The risk to poultry with stringent biosecurity is maintained at medium (with high uncertainty) and Plantthe risk to poultry with suboptimal biosecurity is maintained at high (with low uncertainty).

Further details on the evidence which supported these decisions can be found in our risk assessments.

The UK Health Security Agency (APHAUKHSA) evenhas ifsaid that avian influenza is primarily a disease of birds and the signsrisk areto mild.the general public’s health is very low.

Report

The suspectedFood birdStandards fluAgency inhas said that on the basis of the current scientific evidence, avian influenza poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry orand otherpoultry captiveproducts, birdsincluding eggs, are safe to eat.

Avian influenza is unconnected with coronavirus (COVID-19).

See the advice for the public for further information.

Cases in the UK

FindAs part of this work APHA carry out whatyear-round happensavian wheninfluenza yousurveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols from across Great Britain.

There have been multiple findings of HPAI H5N1 in wild birds from sites across Great Britain. This is in addition to a single finding of HPAI H5N8 in a wild bird.

For further details see the report bird(updated fluweekly) of findings of HPAI in wild birds in Great Britain and our outbreak assessments.

Report

Reporting dead wild birds

CallDo not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find.

You should call the Defra onhelpline 03459(03459 33 55 7777) if you find:

• one or more dead birdsbird of prey or owl
• 3 or more dead gulls or wild waterfowl (swans, geese and ducks)
• 5 or more dead birds of any species

YouWe dothen notcollect needsome of these birds and test them to reporthelp anyus otherunderstand foundhow the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of bird.

Calls to the Defra helpline about dead wild birds.birds Birdare flutriaged isand not aall notifiablebirds diseasewill inbe wildcollected. birds.The criteria for which birds are collected are adjusted to increase or decrease the sensitivity of surveillance.

IfWild youbirds reportare susceptible to a range of diseases and injuries and not all dead birds will have been infected with avian influenza.

Removal and disposal of dead wild bird,birds

If Defradead wild birds are not needed for avian influenza surveillance purposes and APHAlandowners mayhave arrangetaken the decision to collectremove carcasses, it is the landowner’s responsibility to safely arrange disposal of the carcasses.

Landowners are responsible for any costs associated with removal and testdisposal it.of Thisdead wild birds. If dead birds are on public land it is the local authority’s responsibility to helparrange explaindisposal whereof birdthe flucarcasses where removal is spreadingwarranted.

For indead Greatwild Britainbirds andnot inrequired whichfor typessurveillance, instructions for how to dispose of birds.small numbers of garden birds at domestic premises can be found below.

YouLandowners, local authorities and other organisations can readdownload weeklyposters reportsto display on their site when there is a risk of birdavian fluinfluenza findingsor if avian influenza has been detected in wildthe area.

Disposal of small numbers of garden birds in Greathousehold Britain.or Formunicipal informationwaste refuse (only for domestic residential premises)

• if possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling dead wild birds (if disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make-shift glove). When the dead wild bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied, enclosing the dead wild bird fluwithin findingsthe inbag
• the reportedbag containing the dead wild birdsbird readshould Defra’sthen outbreakbe assessments.

  Reportplaced sickin a second plastic bag (preferably leak proof). Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag

• remove any gloves or injuredother wildhand coverings used, by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag, taking care not to touch the outside of the gloves with bare hands
• tie the second bag closed and dispose of in the normal household waste (general refuse lidded bin outside)
• wash hands thoroughly with soap and water

Burial of small numbers of garden birds

(only for domestic residential premises)

You

• the dead wild bird can reportbe sickburied, but not in a plastic bag
• the depth of the burial hole must be sufficient to prevent animals scavenging and gaining access to it – at least 60cm deep is advised and the location must not be near any watercourses, or injuredlikely wildto birdscontaminate local water supplies
• if possible do not use your hands to the:move the bird

If you have to use your hands:

• RSPCAwear ondisposable 0300protective 1234gloves 999when ifpicking you’reup and handling any dead wild birds (if disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make-shift glove)
• dispose of any gloves or other hand coverings in Englanda bag (preferably leak proof), being careful not to touch the outside of the gloves or Walesother hand covering with your bare hands
• SSPCAtie 0300the 999second 999bag ifclosed you’reand dispose of in Scotlandthe normal household waste (general refuse lidded bin outside)
• wash hands thoroughly with soap and water

Wild bird surveillance in Northern Ireland

TheySee maythe DAERA-NI website for further information on surveillance for avian influenza in wild birds in Northern Ireland.

Biosecurity advice

High standards of biosecurity should be ablemaintained toas help.good Thispractice mayfor includethe euthanasiahealth of your birds. Good biosecurity is an essential defence against diseases such as avian influenza and disposingis key to limiting the spread of avian influenza in an outbreak.

Whether an outbreak of avian influenza occurs in pet birds, a backyard flock, captive birds of prey, pigeons or a commercial flock the same disease control measures apply and the same impacts on bird ifkeepers appropriate.and trade in poultry occurs.

DoIf notyou reportkeep sickbirds, oryou injuredmust wildread birdsthe tobiosecurity Defraguidance which includes details of biosecurity best practice and further guidance on measures that you must take in an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ).

Complete orthe biosecurity self-assessment checklist and retain for inspection if requested by representatives from APHA. or Local Authorities. Also see the posters below.

What

Biosecurity toand dopreventing withwelfare deadimpacts wildin poultry and captive birds

PDF, that372 areKB, 28 pages

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