A new outbreak of bird flu in the United Kingdom

For the first time this autumn, there has been another confirmation of bird flu in the UK. This concerns a company in Hornsea, in the east of Yorkshire, in the north of England. This is associated with an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N5 strain.

To further prevent the virus, all chickens in the company are being cleaned and a 3 kilometer protection zone and a 10 kilometer inspection zone have been established around the company. This is a company with over 23,000 free-range laying hens. Samples were taken, which showed contamination with H5N5.

The last UK bird flu ban was lifted in February this year. In February it was the H5N1 strain of the virus. It was found in chickens near Hutton Cranswick, also in East Yorkshire. There has been no outbreak on the poultry farm since then.

More risk

The UK’s chief veterinary officer is urging all poultry farmers to follow strict biosecurity measures. Winter is a time with a greater risk of bird flu. British poultry farmers are therefore being asked to be alert for signs of illness and to report suspected illnesses immediately.

Bird flu has already been detected in wild birds this autumn. The risk level for wild birds is therefore increased from medium to high. In Britain, citizens are also asked to report dead wild birds through an online reporting system or contact the authorities. In 2021, the United Kingdom suffered the largest outbreak of bird flu in history.