Avian Influenza: UK Now Diseasefree But Chief Vet Urges Vigilance

The UK now meets international requirements to declare freedom from Avian Influenza, as the chief vet urges continued vigilance.

The Government Chief Vet announced on 13 September that the UK had met international requirements to declare itself free from Avian Influenza (AI) H5N8, but reiterated calls for all poultry keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease, as there is a real and constant threat.

The disease continues to circulate in Europe and as winter approaches the risk of migratory wild birds infecting domestic poultry will rise.

The UK was previously declared free of Avian Flu in April 2016 but the disease returned in December that year – so the government is not complacent.

Between December 2016 and June 2017, 13 cases of AI were confirmed in kept poultry in the UK. In all cases, the Animal and Plant Health Agency put movement restrictions in place to limit the spread of disease and carried out thorough investigations into the source and possible spread of infection. The government also introduced UK-wide measures to protect poultry from infection from wild birds, including a requirement to temporarily house birds and a ban on bird gatherings.

Today Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens urged keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease as winter approaches and reiterated the need for good biosecurity at all times: