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Declaring an AIPZ means that it is a legal requirement for all birdkeepers to follow strict biosecurity measures.
Keepers with more than 500 birds will need to restrict non-essential people’s access to their sites, workers will need to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures, and site vehicles will need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
Garden owners with fewer poultry, including chickens, ducks and geese, are also advised to strengthen their biosecurity measures in order to prevent further avian flu outbreaks in the UK.
Public Health England (PHE) informs that the public health risk from the virus is very low and the Food Standards Agency informs that avian flu poses a very low risk to food safety for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.
The UK government has worked closely with the Scottish and Welsh governments to introduce National Prevention Zones at the same time, meaning the restrictions will be enforced across Britain.
The introduction of the AIPZ comes after two separate and unrelated cases in poultry and farmed birds were confirmed last week in England, and a third case of H5N8 avian influenza in captive birds was confirmed today in a broiler farm in England. ‘Herefordshire. A very small number of wild birds in South West England have also been found out that he had the disease.
The introduction of a prevention zone follows the decision of Raising the risk level of avian influenza incursion in wild birds in Britain from “medium” to “high” last week.
British Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:
“I have declared a National Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) that sets out the actions that all bird keepers must take to help prevent the spread of the disease to more poultry and other domestic birds.
“Public Health England has confirmed that the risk to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency warns that avian flu poses a very low risk to food safety for British consumers.
“Whether you keep only a few or thousands of birds, you are now legally required to meet the advanced biosecurity requirements and this is in your best interest to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.”
The prevention zone means that bird keepers across the country must
- Ensuring that areas where birds are kept are not attractive to wild birds, for example by creating ponds nets and removing wild bird food sources
- Feed and water your birds in enclosed areas to discourage wild birds
- Minimize movement in and out of bird enclosures
- Clean and disinfect footwear and keep areas where birds live clean and tidy
- Reduce any existing contamination by cleaning and disinfecting concrete areas and fencing wet or marshy areas.
The prevention zone will be active until further notice and will be kept under regular review as part of the UK’s work to monitor the avian flu threat.
Poultry farmers and the public should report dead wild birds to the Defra Helpline on 03459 33 55 77 and keepers should report suspected disease to APHA on 03000 200 301. Keepers should familiarize themselves with our advice for avian flu.
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