Avian influenza cases found in captive birds

The first case of avian influenza (AI) in non-wild birds this autumn has been confirmed on a commercial poultry farm in Yorkshire. A protection zone of 3km has been put in place around the site and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said that a surveillance zone covering a 10km radius around the farm is also in place. 

Tests found the H5N5 strain of the AI virus was present at the Hornsea site. It is the first case of the strain found in poultry or captive birds in England during the current outbreak. Defra has said the H5N5 and H5N1 strains have been found in wild birds in Britain during the autumn and it has now raised the AI risk level from medium to high. It remains low for poultry. 

This year 62 outbreaks of AI in poultry have been recorded across the EU from August to the end of October, compared with just seven cases for the same period in 2023. This increased spread of the disease still only represents half the cases recorded in 2022. The UK Health Security Agency said the risk to the general public’s health remains very low. 

Dominic Boulton, Game Sector Representative on the Defra National Avian Disease Core Group and former chairman of the Game Farmers’ Association told ST: “Although the current avian influenza situation across Europe is cause for concern, it needs to be viewed in context from a UK perspective. Comparisons with 2022 or 2023 are not really very helpful as these two years were both very unusual, but for different reasons. Traditionally the autumn migration of wildfowl is the trigger for seasonal AI. Often this is seen around the end of October. It is still too early to start speculating about what the winter might hold as far as AI is concerned. 

“What we do know is that AI hasn’t gone away, as evidenced by the wild bird findings throughout the summer and autumn in the UK, and now the first Animal and Plant Health Agency confirmed case of AI this season in captive birds at a commercial poultry unit in Yorkshire. 

“Anyone involved in shooting, especially game shooting and gamekeeping, needs to remain vigilant and take precautions to make sure they aren’t responsible