Overview

• The British government confirmed the first detection of bird flu (H5N1) in a sheep in England on March 24, 2025.
• The case was identified during routine surveillance on a Yorkshire farm where the virus had already been found in captive birds.
• The infected sheep was culled, and no further cases were detected in the flock following additional testing.
• Authorities stated there is no evidence of increased risk to the UK's livestock population from this case.
• H5N1, primarily affecting birds, has occasionally been detected in mammals globally, though human transmission remains rare.