UK on ‘high alert’ after Scottish bird flu outbreak

The UK government has confirmed that an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been declared across Britain as of 5pm today (Wednesday) as the nation is placed on “high alert” on the risk of avian influenza in wild birds.

The AIPZ means that all bird keepers in Britain, whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock, are required by law take a series of biosecurity measures.

The UK government said: “The decision to implement AIPZ was taken due to evidence from Europe and the findings of avian influenza in wild birds in Britain. It follows a risk assessment containing the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice.

The Scottish Government has said that in order to limit the spread of the disease, “appropriate restrictions” have been placed on the scene.

Birds remaining on the premises will be humanely culled and temporary three and 10 kilometer control zones have been set up around the infected premises to limit the risk of disease.

Within these areas, a series of different controls are now in place. These include restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure.

The Scottish Government declares that the public health The advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is “very low”.

He said food standards bodies are reporting avian flu poses a “very low food safety risk” to UK consumers and that cooked poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

According to World Human cases of the Health Organization’s (WHO) H5N1 avian influenza occur occasionally, but it is difficult to pass the infection from person to person. ”When people are infected, the death rate is around 60%.

Almost all cases of H5N1 infection in humans have been associated with close contact with infected birds, live or dead, or environments contaminated with H5N1.

Veterinarians have previously said the UK has robust biosecurity measures and surveillance in place to prevent the spread of the disease in that country and that “the risk of transmitting avian influenza viruses to the general public in the UK -Uni remains very weak “.

But the economic cost can be significant.

Health experts say people should avoid touching sick or dead birds, while chicken and eggs are safe to eat if cooked properly, as it kills the virus.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “With recent confirmations of the disease in wild and captive birds in the UK, it is not unexpected that avian flu is found in birds here. Temporary control zones have been set up around the infected premises and we ask the public to remain vigilant and report any finds of dead wild birds. ”

The AIPZ alert, now in force across Britain, does not include the requirement to house the birds, the UK government has said. However, he said it was under constant review.

“With the increased risk of bird flu during the winter, the need to include a mandatory housing requirement in the AIPZ may arise,” he said. “Further disease control measures will be based on the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice.”

Scottish Chief Veterinarian Sheila Voas said: ‘We are conducting further testing to establish the pathogenicity of H5N1 avian influenza in a flock of birds in Angus constituency.

“We have already made it clear that all poultry farmers – whether they are large companies or small farmers with only a few birds – need to make sure their biosecurity is up to par to protect their birds from disease. Breeders concerned about the health or welfare of their herd should immediately consult a veterinarian. Private veterinarians, or the local Animal and Plant Health Agency office, will also be able to provide practical advice on protecting birds from infection.

“If a single dead waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks), a single dead bird of prey or five or more dead wild birds of any other species (including gulls) are found in the same location at the same time, this should be reported. at Defra [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]national helpline. Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds.

In November, the risk of bird flu had been elevated to “high” in Britain following confirmed cases.

The chief veterinarians of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland then urged poultry farmers to maintain and strengthen their biosecurity measures on farms to prevent further outbreaks of bird flu in the Kingdom. -United.

At this point, the risk level for avian influenza incursion in wild birds in Britain has been increased following two unrelated confirmed cases in England and increased reports of the disease affecting flocks in continental Europe.

In February last year, Scottish farmers were asked to step up security after a case of bird flu was confirmed.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) Scotland said the virus, believed to have been contracted from wild birds, was found in Scotland.

The global spread of H5N1 in birds was considered a significant pandemic threat in 2006.

As of November, according to the World Health Organization, there were 455 deaths worldwide from H5N1. In one year that had grown to 863 cases.

Of these 863 cases, 456 were fatal (53% CFR). The last case was reported in India in July 2021.

While the earlier H5N1 strains were known, they were significantly different from the 2006 strain at the genetic level, making the worldwide spread of the strain unprecedented.

Concerns surfaced in the UK when scientists and veterinarians carried out urgent tests on a dead swan infected with bird flu found in Scotland.

The then Scottish executive confirmed that the bird, found in a village in Fife yesterday afternoon, was a carrier of the ‘highly pathogenic H5 bird flu’ virus.

Authorities immediately quarantined the area around Fife village of Cellardyke.

A protection zone with a minimum radius of 1.8 miles (3 km) has been put in place, as well as a surveillance zone of six miles. In London, the Cabinet Office activated its emergency committee, Cobra.

Bird watchers in the area have been ordered to isolate their flocks from wild birds by taking them indoors where possible, and measures to restrict the movement of poultry, eggs and poultry products of these areas have been implemented.

The UK was declared avian influenza free in September 2017 and has remained free from highly pathogenic avian influenza since then.

On October 4, a new case of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N6) virus was reported by the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China to the WHO,

The case was a 66-year-old man from Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, with onset of illness on September 26, 2021.

He was hospitalized on September 27 and was reportedly in serious condition and undergoing treatment.

The man had been exposed to domestic poultry before the onset of the disease. No family member developed symptoms at the time of reporting.