Another North East avian flu outbreak kills 1,500 chickens
More than 5,000 birds have died from bird flu in the north east since last October
An outbreak of avian flu has been been reported at a chicken farm near Peterhead.
One of the seven populated sheds on the 221,000 bird property was affected.
Over the space of four days 1,500 chickens died.
In accordance with the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (Scotland) Order 2006 a protection and surveillance zone were established.
Amid rising cases in his constituency Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid is writing to the Scottish Government.
He said: "It's extremely worrying to hear of a substantial avian flu outbreak near Peterhead as poultry farmers prepare for Christmas.
"An outbreak of this size is devastating and highlights that this deadly disease isn't going away.
"I will now be writing to the Scottish Government to ask what it is doing to prevent a repeat of last year and I urge them to consider all options to safeguard our area against further outbreaks."
A real problem for Aberdeenshire
The North East have been hit by an epidemic of bird flu over the last year.
Earlier this week figures showed that the North East reported almost half of all Scottish cases of the disease over the past 12 months.
Beaches where the dead birds wash up include Cruden Bay, Balmedie, Stonehaven and Inverbervie.
Very low risk to human health
Full epidemiological investigations are ongoing at the Peterhead farm and the infected birds have been humanely culled.
Public health advice is that bird flu poses a very low risk to human health and does not affect consumption of poultry products.