Overview
- From Thursday, November 6, keepers with more than 50 birds or those who sell or give away eggs must house all poultry and captive birds across England, with limited zoo exceptions.
- Keepers with fewer than 50 birds are exempt if produce is for personal use, and a GB-wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone remains in force with enhanced biosecurity requirements.
- Two new outbreaks were confirmed at commercial units in North Yorkshire and Devon and one in captive birds in East Sussex, bringing the UK total to 23 cases this season, including 19 in England.
- Standard controls include 3 km protection zones, 10 km surveillance zones and humane culling at affected premises, measures also applied in Ireland after an H5N1 outbreak in a County Carlow turkey flock.
- Authorities report the risk to human health remains low and properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to eat, while WHO urges close monitoring as outbreaks expand across Europe and spillover to mammals is tracked.