Avian influenza (bird flu): Indicative timeline to lifting restrictions

An indicative timeline to lifting Avian Influenza restrictions in Oxfordshire has been published to help poultry and egg producers and others whose business is affected by disease control restrictions.  Further information can be found at the link provided:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/latest-situation/timeline.htm

General G08-047 - AI Case in Oxfordshire - Update

Further to member briefing G08-046 Defra have now confirmed that the AI case in Oxfordshire is highly pathogenic.

Please see the following link to the latest news release giving updated information:   www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080604c.htm

General G08-046 - Avian Influenza H7 confirmed in Oxfordshire

The Chief Veterinary Officer at Defra confirmed on 3 June Avian Influenza in chickens on premises near Banbury in Oxfordshire after preliminary tests were positive for the H7 strain. All birds on the premises will be slaughtered as a precautionary measure.

Laboratory testing continues and results which will allow confirmation of whether the strain is high or low pathogenicity will follow. A detailed epidemiological investigation to better understand the origin and development of the disease is underway.

A Temporary Control Zone with a 3km inner zone and a 10km outer zone is being established around the Infected Premises. A copy of the TCZ Declaration is available from the following link:-

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/pdf/declaration-tczab080603.pdf

A number of measures apply. All birds must be housed or otherwise isolated from contact with wild birds in the inner zone. Bird gatherings are banned and all other movements of birds and some products are banned in the whole of the Temporary Control Zone. Defra is urgently considering whether any wider measures may be needed.

The Chief Veterinary Officer has stressed the need for poultry keepers to be extremely vigilant, practice the highest levels of biosecurity and report any suspicions of disease to their local Animal Health Office immediately.
A copy of the AIC Protocol and Rationale for feed delivery to livestock farms is available from:

• Feed Delivery to Livestock Farms Biosecurity - Protocol
• Feed Delivery to Livestock Farms Biosecurity Protocol Rationale   
• Product Deliveries and Grain Collections on Farms - Biosecurity Protocol - Revised Aug 07  

The FSA has advised that this case of bird flu on a premise in Banbury, Oxfordshire poses no safety implications for the human food chain.
"Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat. The science shows that the virus isn't contracted by eating food - but usually by close contact with infected birds."

All poultry keepers on the GB Poultry Register are being notified, and the EU Commission has been informed.

Bluetongue Update 28 March 2008

The Bluetongue Protection and Surveillance zones have been extended as a result of positive pre-movement testing in both Hertfordshire and Linconshire.  As a result the protection zone has been extended further into Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire/Norfolk.  The wider surveillance zone has been extended further into North and West Yorkshire.  Full details are below:

• Declaration BTV PZ_SZ 28 Mar08    (505kb)

Bluetongue Update 22nd February 2008

Further to last weeks previous  declaration bringing Cornwall into the Bluetongue Surveillance Zone, additional cases have been confirmed as a result of pre-movement testing.  The Protection Zone has  therefore been extended further.

Bluetongue Update 22nd February 2008

Following industry representation, Defra has extended the surveillance zone in the south west to include Cornwall.  This will make livestock movements easier by bringing all of the region within the same zone.

At the same time, Defra has announced that the vector free period will finish at midnight on 15th March.  This is based on met office data and risk assessments.  From this date there will be no animal movements permitted out of the restricted zone )movements are allowed within the zone).  Effectively this puts things back where they were in the autumn before the vector free period was introduced for the winter months.

Bluetongue Update 13th February 2008

Further confirmed cases of bluetongue as a result of pre-movement testing have been announced by Defra including a confirmed case in Dorset.

As a result of this the existing zones have been extended with the surveillance zone now taking in all of south west England to the Devon/Cornwall border.  Additionally a new protection zone has been introduced in Dorset.

Full details including the latest map, showing the territorial extent of both the protection zone and the surveillance zone, are attached for information.

• Declaration BTV PZ_SZ 13 Feb 08    (371kb)

General G08-004 - New Avian Influenza Case - Dorset

Defra has notified the industry that a case of Avian Influenza of the H5N1 type has been confirmed near to Weymouth in Dorset. It is understood the case has been detected in wild birds (Mute swans).

Restrictions have been put in place, details of which can be downloaded from the following link:

• Declaration WBCA and WBMA 10 Jan 08 (355kb)

For guidance on deliveries of feed and other products to livestock farms within the temporary control zone please refer to AIC's feed delivery to Livestock Farms Biosecurity Protocol and Rational. These can be obtained from the following links:-

• Feed Delivery to Livestock Farms Biosecurity Protocol (29kb)
• Feed Delivery to Livestock Farms Biosecurity Protocol Rationale (30kb)
• Product Deliveries to Livestock Farm Protocol Introduction and Protocol (42kb)

Whilst these three documents were written in connection with Avian Influenza, the principles contained within them apply for other notifiable diseases, including Foot and Mouth Disease.