Defra - Avian Influenza Latest Situation
16 February 2025
Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) Housing Measures Extended.
From 00:01 on Sunday 16 February 2025 the avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) housing measures have been extended to cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire in addition to the East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Shropshire, York and North Yorkshire.
The England wide AIPZ mandating enhanced biosecurity in all other counties remains in force.
Bird keepers can check the interactive map to see if they are in an area now covered by mandatory housing measures and the AIPZ declaration for further details of the measures which apply.
Take action to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading. Be vigilant for signs of disease and report it to keep your birds safe.
New Case in England
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been confirmed in other captive birds at a premises near Snettisham, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk (AIV 2025/18). A 3km captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone has been declared surrounding the premises (effective from 17:00 on the 16 February 2025). The affected birds on the premises will be humanely culled.
Case Update in England
Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance in the zone around a premises near Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire (AIV 2025/02), the 3km protection zone has ended and the area that formed the protection zone becomes a surveillance zone (effective from 15.30 on 14 February 2025)
Northern Ireland – DAERA Press Notice Suspect case of notifiable Avian Influenza found in commercial poultry premises, County Tyrone | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
A Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) has been established, from 19:00 on the 15 February 2025, around a commercial poultry premises near Dungannon, County Tyronefollowing preliminary positive results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
The Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland (NI), Brian Dooher, has taken the decision based on number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). The TCZ comprises a 3km TCZ-A and a 10km TCZ-B. The TCZ declaration which details all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km and 10km zones can be accessed here.
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All bird keepers are urged to remain vigilant and take action to protect their birds following the recent cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) mandating enhanced biosecurity is in force across the UK. In addition, mandatory housing for kept birds is in force across the unitary authorities of the East Riding of Yorkshire, the unitary authority of York, the City of Kingston upon Hull and all districts in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, North Yorkshire, and Shropshire. From 00:01 on Sunday 16 February 2025 mandatory housing measures were extended to also cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring.
Keepers can check if they are in an avian influenza disease control or prevention zone using the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) interactive map.
Further information on the measures that apply in disease control zones can be found in Defra’s Bird flu: rules in disease control zones in England - GOV.UK guidance and the zone declarations available via the notifiable disease case finder on gov.uk.
Disease control zones will remain in place until all disease control and surveillance activities in the zones have been successfully completed and there are no suspect cases are under investigation in the zones.
Details of the current national risk levels for avian influenza can be found at gov.uk/birdflu with further information on the evidence which supports these levels available in APHA’s risk and outbreak assessments.
Practicing good biosecurity at all times protects the health and welfare of birds and for commercial keepers will help protect their business from HPAI and other diseases.
For further information on the latest situation and guidance including on what bird keepers can do to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading, how to house birds to protect their health and welfare during outbreaks, and how to spot and report it in poultry or other captive birds see gov.uk/birdflu