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Bird Flu Updates

New Cases in England

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry on 17 January 202 at the following premises. A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been declared surrounding each of the premises (effective from 20:30 on the 17 January 2025). All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.

Case Updates in England

A regional avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity and housing measures is also in place across:

  • The East Riding of Yorkshire
  • The City of Kingston upon Hull
  • Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk

Bird keepers in the AIPZ must keep their birds housed to protect them from bird flu. This applies to pet birds, commercial flocks and just a few birds in a backyard flock. These housing and biosecurity measures are to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring.

All bird keepers are being urged to take action to protect their birds and remain vigilant and report signs of disease.

Keepers can check if they are in a bird flu disease control zone using the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) interactive map. Further information on the measures that apply in the zones can be found in Defra’s Bird flu: rules in disease control zones in England guidance and the zone declaration available via the notifiable disease case finder. Disease control zones will remain in place until all disease control and surveillance activities in the zones have been successfully completed and there are no suspect cases are under investigation in the zones.

Keepers must keep a close watch on their birds and kept mammals (including pets) for any signs of disease, and seek prompt advice from a vet if they have any concerns. You can find further information on how to spot and report bird flu in poultry and other captive birds and how to keep other pets, such as cats and dogs, safe from bird flu.

Clinical signs indicative of infection with an avian influenza virus must be reported in England to Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. In Wales, contact 0300 303 8268. In Scotland, contact to the local Field Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence.

All bird keepers must register their poultry and other captive birds (with the exception of certain psittacines and passerines), even if only kept as pets. Registered keepers will receive regular updates and guidance to help protect their birds from avian influenza. In addition, anyone can subscribe to APHA’s free animal disease alerts service for the latest information on updated risk levels, guidance and new cases in Great Britain regardless of whether they keep birds.

In Great Britain members of the public are encouraged to report findings of dead wild birds using the online reporting system or by calling the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77). By reporting dead wild birds, you are helping Defra and APHA understand, the risk to different species groups of wild birds, the risk posed to poultry & other captive birds and the risk of overspill into mammals.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said that avian influenza is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low. Do not touch any dead or sick wild birds you find. The Food Standards Agency advises that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

The latest information and guidance on bird flu can be found at gov.uk/birdflu

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13/01/25: New Case in Scotland

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) was confirmed at a premises near Kirriemuir, Angus on 10 January 2025. A 3 km Protection Zone and 10 km Surveillance Zone were declared around the premises.

Case Updates in England

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance in the zone around the following premises, the 3 km protection zone has ended and the area that formed the protection zone becomes a surveillance zone surrounding the following premises:

Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance within the zone, the 3km captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone surrounding a premises near Cranworth, Mid Norfolk, Norfolk (AIV2024/08) has been revoked (effective from 16:00 on 10 January 2025).

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 31/12/24: New Case in England

Following official testing, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been confirmed at a premises near Nafferton, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire. 3km Protection Zones and 10km Surveillance Zones have been put in place around the premises. 

[Individual case updates before this date have been removed to keep the length of this article down]

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Housing measures introduced in the North East and East to protect poultry and other captive birds

There have been further findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and other captive birds in Norfolk, the East Riding of Yorkshire and a further increase in the assessed risk of HPAI in wild birds and poultry.

A regional avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity and housing measures has been declared in:

  • the unitary authorities of the East Riding of Yorkshire
  • the City of Kingston upon Hull
  • all districts in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk

From noon on Monday 23 December 2024 all bird keepers in the AIPZ must keep their birds housed to protect them from bird flu. This applies to all kept birds in the area including pet birds, commercial flocks and just a few birds in a backyard flock. These housing and biosecurity measures are to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring.

Housing measures also apply in any 3km Protection Zone in force surrounding an infected premises where HPAI has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds. Keepers can check if they are in an avian influenza disease control or prevention zone using the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) interactive map.

The Code of Practice for Racing Pigeons states: “When housing measures are in force as part of an AIPZ, birds will only be allowed out for exercise for up to one hour once each day. If the loft is not within a protection or surveillance zone, you may train birds as a single loft but must not mix birds from other lofts unless you have met the requirements of the general licence (this would constitute a gathering and must be notified to the APHA 7 days in advance and comply will all the requirements of the relevant bird gatherings General Licence). You must not have an open loft that allows the birds to freely come and go, which would increase the chance of wild birds entering your loft and contaminating it.”

Further information on the measures that apply in the zones can be found in Defra’s Bird flu: rules in disease control zones in England – GOV.UK guidance and the Bird flu: regional avian influenza prevention zone (East of England) – with housing measures – GOV.UK zone declaration available via the notifiable disease case finder on gov.uk.

Risk Levels

The risk of HPAI H5 in wild birds in Great Britain has increased from high (event occurs very often) to very high (event occurs almost certainly).

The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 in Great Britain:

  • has increased from medium (event occurs regularly) (with low uncertainty) to high (event occurs very often) (with medium uncertainty) where there is suboptimal or poor biosecurity
  • has increased from low (event is rare but does occur) (with low uncertainty) to medium (event occurs regularly) (with medium uncertainty) where good biosecurity is consistently applied at all times

Further information on the evidence which supports these risk levels can be found in APHA’s Updated Outbreak Assessment #6 High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in Great Britain and Europe available as part of the ‘Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring’ collection on gov.uk.

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16/12/24: Avian influenza prevention zone declared in four counties

Following a number of findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds and detections in poultry in the East Riding of Yorkshire and Norfolk, a regional avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) has been declared in the East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston upon Hull, Norfolk and Suffolk to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring.

This means that it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers within the zone to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks, of whatever type or size. This does not include a requirement to house birds, unless you are also in a 3km protection zone. However, this is being kept under constant review.

See the interactive map for details and check the declarations for details of the restrictions.

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