New case of bird flu confirmed near Teignbridge (the fourth in three months)

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in poultry at a premises near Ashburton, Teignbridge.

A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone has been put in place around the premises.

This brings the number of disease control zones currently in place in Devon to three.

The affected poultry on the Ashburton site will be humanely culled.

In April, there were three outbreaks of bird flu just days apart in the Teignbridge area, two in Tedburn St Mary and one in Newton St Cyres.

On July 21 a commercial premises near Dartington in South Hams was placed in a three kilometre protection zone and a 10 kilometre surveillance zone remains in place around the business.

All poultry on the premises were culled.

The same strain of bird flu, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, was confirmed in Mid Devon earlier in the month.

On July 8 captive birds that were not poultry tested positive in a premises near Tiverton. All the exposed birds were humanely culled.

A three kilometre Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone is still in place around the premises.

When avian influenza is confirmed or suspected in poultry or other captive birds, disease control zones are put in place around the infected premises to prevent the spread of the disease.

Within these zones a range of restrictions on the movement of poultry and material associated with their keeping can apply.

There have been 106 confirmed cases of avian flu in the UK since November.

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) is in force across the country. This means, that bird owners, whether they keep them commercially or in a garden, must follow strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.

These measures include:

• cleaning and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing
• reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective vermin control
• thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting housing on a continuous basis
• keeping fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
• minimising direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds

The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 in Great Britain remains at medium (with low uncertainty) where biosecurity is suboptimal and low (with low uncertainty) where good biosecurity is applied.