Overview
- Roughly 50 farm outbreaks have been confirmed since October, marking a sharper rise than last winter’s pace.
- Industry estimates suggest about 5% of the Christmas poultry flock — roughly 300,000 birds — has been culled, including 48,000 turkeys at a Capestone Organic site.
- Officials have imposed housing measures across England from 6 November and in Wales from 13 November, with an avian influenza prevention zone in force across Great Britain.
- Protection and surveillance zones were declared around recent cases near Claydon in Suffolk, Driffield in East Yorkshire and Milford Haven in Wales, with flocks humanely culled.
- Major supermarkets expect to cover demand through existing contracts, while smaller retailers warn of tighter allocations, smaller birds and higher prices as scientists describe the virus as highly infectious and well adapted to birds.