Poultry to be culled following bird flu outbreak

Author: Ally McGilvrayPublished 28th Nov 2023

An outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed at a farm near Wooler.

All poultry on the unnamed premises in Northumberland is to be culled in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus, named as the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain known as H5N1.

A ten kilometre surveillance zone, which stretches to the Scotland-England border, has also been set up; and anyone who falls within the area must register their birds with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

The outbreak follows a case of bird flu in a backyard flock on the Orkney Islands and at a turkey farm in Lincolnshire earlier this month.

The public are being urged to remain vigilant and report any sightings of dead birds.

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