Outbreak of bird flu worsening
CONCERN is growing among conservationists and nature lovers as the UK’S “largest ever” bird flu outbreak continues to grow.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds at 36 premises in the UK, with at least 276 findings in wild birds in 80 separate locations as of last Wednesday, Welsh Government Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has said.
This makes the outbreak the largest the UK has ever faced and “there is no immediate sign of the situation improving”, the minister said in a statement.
An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone was declared across the UK on November 3 and extended on November 29, with the added requirement that all captive birds had to be kept indoors, amid concerns wild birds migrating from mainland Europe were carrying the flu.
These measures were co-ordinated with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the devolved governments and apply across Great Britain.
The risk to human health from avian influenza remains very low, according to public health advice, and there is a low food safety risk.
To date, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales has confirmed three separate cases in domestic poultry across Wales. These are near Chirk, Wrexham, on November 1; near Gaerwen, Anglesey, on November 25; and near Crickhowell, Powys, on December 3.
Since introducing the Prevention Zone and mandatory housing, the outbreaks have continued to occur across the UK in domestic birds and the virus continues to be found in some wild birds submitted for disease surveillance.
An Emergency Co-ordination Centre for Wales (ECCW) has been set up to ensure a “co-ordinated and effective response to the disease threat”.
Lesley Griffiths said: “The ECCW will ensure my officials can continue to provide a co-ordinated and effective response to the disease threat throughout this outbreak. It will allow them the ability to better manage and prioritise resources, share responsibilities and communicate with all concerned.
“Disease situations develop and change frequently, and having the ECCW will allow us to ensure we can react to the changing circumstances promptly and continue to provide an appropriate and proportionate disease response.”
The bird flu outbreak is not expected to have any impact on the supplies of turkeys or other birds over Christmas. NFU chief poultry adviser Aimee Mahony said it was a “challenging” time for all bird owners.
“Vigilance is key and poultry farmers are doing all they can to ensure the continued health of their flocks and that their welfare needs are being met,” she said.
“We are relying on all bird keepers, whether they have a small backyard flock or a commercial business, to follow the enhanced biosecurity and housing measures implemented by the chief veterinary officer to help prevent further disease outbreaks.”
British Poultry Council chief executive Richard Griffiths said they did not expect there to be an effect on overall production “but we, as ever, urge all poultry keepers across the country to remain vigilant and look out for signs of the disease in your birds or bird”.