Worrying bird flu spike as whole of England put in 'prevention zone' - what it means
Worrying bird flu spike as whole of England put in 'prevention zone' - what it means
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A worrying spike in bird flu cases in England is causing concern among health chiefs, and an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) is being extended to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease. Yesterday, the Government announced that due to "escalating number of cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza", the containment measures are being extended across all of England as of today at noon.
However, keepers in several areas are being given an additional directive to galvanise their housing measures. The areas affected are East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Shropshire, York and North Yorkshire.
The new directive applies not only to commercial keepers, but even to people who keep a "few birds in a backyard flock". The Government said the measures are "essential to protecting flocks from avian influenza". Bird keepers are being asked to consult an interactive map to find out how they're affected.
It comes after a recent bird flu death sparked fears that a "brand-new virus" could potentially mutate under the right conditions and lead to a "global pandemic". Last week, the Louisiana Department of Health announced that the US had suffered its first bird-flu related death. A 65-year-old patient contracted the H5N1 strain, a highly pathogenic avian influenza, and died several weeks after being admitted to hospital.
