Avian influenza (bird flu)
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu
Last updated 3 November 2022
All bird keepers (whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) must keep a close watch on them for signs of disease and maintain good biosecurity at all times. If you have any concerns about the health of your birds, seek prompt advice from your vet.
You should register your poultry, even if only kept as pets, so we can contact you during an outbreak. This is a legal requirement if you have 50 or more birds. Poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeon (bred for meat), partridge, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants.
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Latest situation
There have been 91 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in England since 1 October 2022. There have been 225 cases of (HPAI) H5N1 in England since the H5N1 outbreak started on 27 October 2021.
Update 3 November
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry on 3 November 2022 at the following:
fifteenth premises near Attleborough, Breckland, Norfolk
second premises near Halesworth, East Suffolk, Suffolk
A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are in place around each of the premises. All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was also confirmed in non-commercial other captive birds at a premises near Lancaster, Lancashire. A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone is in place around the premises. All birds on the premises will be humanely culled.
Update 2 November
Mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds are to be introduced to all areas of England from 00:01 on Monday 7 November: these were announced on Monday 31 October.
The housing measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.
This will extend the mandatory housing measures already in force in the hot spot area of Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Essex to the whole of England, following an increase in the national risk of bird flu in wild birds to very high. See our press release for more information.