A protection zone has been set up after a second case of bird flu was found in the same area of Wales. Welsh Government has confirmed a case of the H5N1 avian influenza has been found in poultry in Anglesey.
Interim deputy chief veterinary officer for Wales Gosia Siwonia, confirmed the case - the second on Anglesey this month - on Sunday night just a week after one was discovered at another site on the island. That was the first confirmed case of avian influenza in Wales since October 1.
A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been declared around the infected premises to limit the risk of disease spread. Within these zones, bird movements and gatherings are restricted and all holdings that keep birds must be declared. The measures are stricter in the 3km protection zone.
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The UK health agencies advise that the risk to public health from avian influenza is very low and the UK food standards agencies say the virus poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.
During outbreaks people who keep birds are asked the following:
- All keepers of kept birds should be vigilant for signs of the disease such as increased mortality, respiratory distress and drops in food or water intake, or egg production
- Consult your veterinary surgeon in the first instance if your birds are unwell
- If you or your vet suspect that avian influenza could be causing illness in your birds, you must, by law, report this to the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This will trigger a disease investigation by APHA vets.
- You must apply strict biosecurity measures to prevent any materials, equipment, vehicles, clothing, feed or bedding that could have been contaminated from wild birds coming onto your premises. Full details and a checklist are available on the Welsh Government website here.
According to the UK government's website, avian influenza circulates naturally in wild birds and when they migrate to the UK from mainland Europe over the winter they can spread the disease to poultry and other captive birds. It says maintaining strict biosecurity is the most effective method of protecting birds from the virus.
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