Bird Flu Outbreaks in Norfolk, Suffolk Causes All Poultry There To Be Kept Indoors

The United Kingdom government recently said all poultry in Norfolk, Suffolk, and parts of Essex need to be kept indoors from Wednesday as portions of a ramping-up of measures to prevent avian flu spreading.

After a series of outbreaks in September, the affected areas were placed in an Avian Influenza Prevention, a BBC News report said.

Over 160 cases of captive birds have been discovered in the past year, the largest outbreak in the UK.

In Staffordshire, birds are due for culling after discovering the disease. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the HPAI H5N1 strain of avian influenza was detected in captive birds at a property late this week. A monitoring and control area has been set up all over the premises.

Millions of Birds Culled

The record of occurrences in captive birds was 26 cases in 2020 and 2021. Defra said that all birdkeepers in affected sites would be legally necessitated to keep their flocks indoors and follow strict biosecurity measures to help shield them from the classes. Such measures are imposed regardless of the type or size of captive birds.

Approximately 48 million birds have been culled in the UK and the EU just this year amid the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, as specified in a similar Daily Cable report.

The government has earlier said the 3.2 million birds culled in the UK were a small ratio of total production, roughly 20 million birds each week, a related Ipswich Star report said.

Over 1,700 cases have been recorded as well, in the wild population of the UK, in more than 400 areas involving 59 bird species.

All Poultry Gatherings Prohibited

In the past years, the virus has nearly died out during the summer, although this outbreak persisted throughout the year and spread more quickly.

The mandatory housing measures for all captive birds and poultry will be introduced following a decision by Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer.

The official encourages all birdkeepers in the affected areas to prepare over the next few days, including taking steps to shield animal welfare, consulting with their veterinarian, and expanding housing where essential.

Middlemiss also explained that there was an increasing number of bird flu cases on both "commercial farms and in backyard birds" in the three affected counties, adding that she's expecting the risk to keep rising over the coming months as migratory birds return to the UK.

The prevention declared by the Defra in late September covered Devon, Cornwall, and some parts of Somerset, although such areas have not been told to keep birds indoors.

Instead, all poultry gatherings and events like fairs or markets are prohibited. Birdkeepers are told to cleanse and disinfect clothing and equipment before and following contact with birds.

37 Countries Affected

The most recent bird flu numbers covering the UK and Europe, which track outbreaks from October last year until early September, were published early this week.

Such records revealed that there had been over 3,500 findings in wild birds, which the virus affects 37 countries, spreading from Svalbard to south Portugal and eastward to Ukraine. Nonetheless, it warned that figure could be an underestimate.

While there have been no recorded and reported cases of human transmission in the European Union, there was a single case in southwest England early this year.

A report about the bird flu is shown on WION's YouTube video below:

Check out more news and information on Bird Flu in Science Times.