Small increase in bird flu cases among gamebirds

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is continuing to spread across the UK and France. In Scotland, where no housing order is in force for captive birds, there has been a spate of cases around Turriff in Aberdeenshire.

The outbreak in England remains centred in East Anglia, where there are multiple closely overlapping control zones in place. The epicentre is to the west of Norwich around the villages of Hingham and Watton.

At the same time that the outbreak in the east has intensified, the outbreak in the West Country now appears to be subsiding with a steady reduction of cases in Devon and Cornwall.

In the most recent week for which records are available, there was a small increase in cases among gamebirds — including pheasants and partridges. However, wildfowl continue to be the most frequent victims of the disease.

Cases in France’s key gamebird-rearing regions have also increased, with two new establishments infected in Vendée over the past seven days.

Greylag geese in Norfolk, which is currently the epicentre of the avian influenza outbreak in England