Overview

• The H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected in a sheep in Yorkshire, marking the first known case of the virus in this species globally.
• The infected sheep, located on a farm where avian influenza was previously found in captive birds, was culled, and no further infections were detected in the flock.
• UK authorities emphasize that the risk to public health and livestock remains very low, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus.
• Scientists are analyzing the virus found in the sheep to determine if it has undergone genetic changes, drawing comparisons to similar outbreaks in US dairy cattle.
• Experts stress the importance of strict biosecurity and species separation to prevent further cross-species transmission of H5N1.