Alert as avian flu outbreak confirmed in Derbyshire

The case of H5N1 avian influenza, also known as bird flu, was confirmed in commercial poultry after a visit to the premises by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place around the infected premises to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

Derbyshire County Council trading standards officers are working closely with emergency planning and highways colleagues, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and APHA to control the outbreak. County council highways officers will be putting road signs in place to warn people when they are entering the 10km surveillance zone.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: “Unfortunately we have had a confirmed case of avian flu in Derbyshire and our trading standards officers, along with partner agencies, are working closely with Defra to help reduce the spread of the disease. It’s really important that they identify anyone who has birds and ensure they know about the restrictions and follow the rules. The risk to public health is low and there will be road signs up in the area telling people when they are entering the surveillance zone.”

Strict measures are now in force to limit the risk of the disease spreading, including restrictions on the movement of poultry and other captive birds, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure. All keepers of birds in the disease control zones must follow the increased measures while the restrictions are in place as a legal requirement. Residents can check the latest situation and see if they are in the disease control zones by going to: Bird flu: Premises near Hatton, South Derbyshire, Derbyshire (AIV 2022/192) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Derbyshire County Council trading standards officers, along with partner agencies, will be out in the area over the next few days knocking on doors in the 3km protection zone to identify any households keeping any type of bird to warn them of new restrictions and help to stop the spread of the disease. They will also identify unregistered birds/flocks and report them back to Defra through APHA. All agencies involved are encouraging all keepers to register their poultry, even if only kept as pets, so that APHA can contact them during an outbreak. This is a legal requirement for people who have 50 or more birds and people can do it via website as well as finding information on how to prevent it and stop it from spreading

If anyone finds dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, they should report them to the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77 - please select option 7).

The Derbyshire outbreak follows the introduction of national measures to prevent bird flu cases on Monday, November 7, which made it mandatory for bird keepers to house their flocks. UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that the risk of bird flu to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency has said that bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked eggs and poultry are safe to eat.