Avian flu confirmed at Suffolk farm
A 3KM Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone are now in place around the infected premises.
The UK’s deputy chief veterinary officer has confirmed H5N8 avian influenza at a poultry farm near Redgrave in Suffolk.
The announcement comes after an initial 10km Temporary Control Zone was put in place around the farm following tests which confirmed the presence of H5N8.
Further investigations into the nature of the virus have now confirmed that it is the same highly pathogenic strain of H5N8 that has been found in wild and farmed birds in the UK since December 2016.
A 3KM Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone are now in place around the infected premises to reduce the possibility of the disease spreading.
The premises is thought to contain some 23,000 birds. Many have already died and the remaining birds will be humanely culled. A full investigation is now underway to determine the source of the infection.
Public Health England advises that the risk to public health from the virus is minimal and the Food Standards Agency is clear that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.
Full details of the controls can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#movement-controls-and-licences
An interactive map can also be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#movement-controls-and-licences
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
