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Bird Flu Update: Government Details Latest Situation in England (May 10th, 2025)
London, England – The UK government published an update today, May 10th, 2025, at 15:35 BST, via its official GOV.UK website, detailing the latest situation regarding avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, in England.
The announcement confirms that the government, led by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), along with its partners like the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), is actively monitoring and managing ongoing cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) across the country.
What is Bird Flu?
Bird flu is a highly contagious viral disease that affects birds. It can spread quickly within bird populations and sometimes to other animals. While it primarily affects poultry and wild birds, certain strains can, in rare circumstances, pose a risk to mammals, including humans.
Current Situation in England
The update from GOV.UK indicates that despite ongoing efforts, confirmed cases of bird flu continue to be detected in England. These cases can affect commercial poultry farms, backyard flocks, and wild bird populations in various locations.
The specific details often listed in these updates include:
- Locations of Outbreaks: Information on specific premises or areas where the virus has been confirmed.
- Affected Bird Types: Whether outbreaks are predominantly in chickens, turkeys, ducks, or wild birds.
- Strain: Identification of the specific strain of the virus (e.g., H5N1), though updates focus on its pathogenic level (highly pathogenic meaning it causes severe illness).
Measures Being Taken
In response to confirmed outbreaks, the government and its agencies implement strict measures to prevent the virus from spreading further. These typically include:
- Culling: Humanely culling infected birds on affected premises is a standard procedure to eliminate the source of infection.
- Establishment of Zones: Strict control zones are put in place around infected premises. These are usually:
- Protection Zone (typically 3km radius): Imposes tight restrictions on the movement of poultry, eggs, and carcasses.
- Surveillance Zone (typically 10km radius): Requires increased monitoring, record-keeping, and restrictions on bird movements.
- Biosecurity: Bird keepers, whether commercial or backyard, are reminded of the critical importance of maintaining stringent biosecurity measures. This means taking steps to prevent the virus from entering their premises (e.g., keeping birds indoors, cleaning and disinfecting clothing and equipment, controlling access).
- Increased Surveillance: Monitoring of wild bird populations continues, and increased checks are carried out on poultry farms within and outside control zones.
Risk to Public Health
A key point consistently highlighted in government updates is the risk to human health. Public health bodies, such as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), advise that the risk to the general public from avian influenza is considered very low.
Transmission to humans is rare and usually requires very close and prolonged contact with infected birds or heavily contaminated environments. However, people are still advised to take precautions, particularly avoiding direct contact with sick or dead birds.
Advice for the Public
The government’s advice for the public remains clear:
- Do not touch sick or dead wild birds. Even if the cause of death isn’t bird flu, it’s safest to avoid contact.
- Report findings: If you find dead wild birds (such as swans, geese, ducks, or gulls) in large numbers, or any dead birds of prey or owls, you should report them to the Defra helpline. The specific number is available on the GOV.UK website.
- Keep pets away: Ensure dogs are kept on leads in areas where there are dead wild birds.
- Hygiene: Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after being outdoors, especially if you have been in contact with birds or visited areas where birds are present.
Looking Ahead
The situation is being closely monitored, and government agencies are working tirelessly to manage the current outbreaks and prevent further spread. Collaboration between government, the poultry industry, and veterinary professionals remains vital.
The official GOV.UK page serves as the definitive source for the most current information, including details of specific zones and guidance for bird keepers and the public. It is regularly updated as the situation evolves.
For the most up-to-date information, including precise locations of control zones and specific biosecurity advice, the public and bird keepers are urged to consult the official GOV.UK website directly at the provided link.
Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England
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The following question was used to generate the response from Google Gemini:
At 2025-05-10 15:35, ‘Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England’ was published according to UK News and communications. Please write a detailed article with related information in an easy-to-understand manner. Please answer in English.
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