Thankfully, since last month’s outbreak of avian influenza H5N8 on a duck breeding farm in East Yorkshire, there have been no further reports of avian influenza in the UK.

Within the EU, H5N8 outbreaks have now been reported on a total of five poultry farms in the South Holland region of the Netherlands, and one turkey farm in Germany. Within wild bird populations, the virus has been confirmed in one common teal…

Defra animal health laboratory has confirmed that the outbreak in East Yorkshire is the H5N8 strain. This is the same strain as that which has caused outbreaks among poultry in Germany and the Netherlands in the last week.

 However there are no known records of this strain being detected in humans and the risk to public health remains very low.

Defra investigations continue. Over the next few days the outcome of tests…

It was disturbing to hear of the news of an outbreak of Avian Influenza in East Yorkshire on yesterday’s BBC Radio 4 Today programme – there is a well rehearsed process for alerting the network of organisations, including us, in the event of a confirmed outbreak. But our notification did arrive later in the day.

In any event – it soon became clear that Monday would be busy in terms of media interest in the…

Defra has today published its epidemiology report into the case of H7N7 avian influenza in chickens on premises near Banbury, in Oxfordshire.  The source of infection has not been identified, with two hypotheses under investigation.  These are infection from other domestic poultry premises and from wildlife in contact with the infected premises.

The report states that wild bird activity around the infected premises was…

Highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza has been confirmed in chickens on premises near Banbury, in Oxfordshire.  The precise identity of the virus is yet to be determined.  Contingency plans have been activated by Defra, and an investigation into the cause of the outbreak is underway.  Given that at this time of year, wildfowl are largely absent from the area, it is highly unlikely that wild birds are connected to the outbreak…

Defra has today published its preliminary epidemiology report into the case of H5N1 avian influenza in mute swans at the Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset. Though the source of infection has not been identified, one hypothesis is that wild birds moving from the continent may have carried the virus to the UK.

The H5N1 virus is believed to have evolved in poultry and, worldwide, it has been transmitted in a number of ways, including…

Defra has confirmed that a fourth mute swan, found dead in the vicinity of Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset, has tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza. The BBC is reporting that a fifth swan has also tested positive for the disease. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn MP, commented in a statement that additional cases were not unexpected, and announced that sampling of live swans…

The RSPB will increase its surveillance of wild birds on its wetland nature reserves in Dorset, Devon and Somerset in response to the news that the avian flu virus H5N1 has been detected in mute swans from the Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset.

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's Director of Conservation, is clear that vigilance is the first priority: 'Since H5N1 bird flu first appeared as a threat to birds in the UK, the RSPB has been…

Defra has lifted the surveillance and restriction zones put in place following the recent outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in Suffolk. The outbreak was confined to the two premises and, with no further outbreaks, all restrictions on bird gatherings and movements of poultry and poultry meat have been lifted.

During the outbreak, staff on RSPB nature reserves in Norfolk and Suffolk increased four-fold the frequency of surveillance…

Defra is today trying to blame wild birds rather than poor biosecurity for the bird flu outbreak in Suffolk.

Defra's preliminary epidemiological report, published on its website, ignores the likelihood that one infected commercial turkey or duck brought the disease to the farm.

Defra also failed to take action quickly enough to prevent the potential spread of the virus into wild birds after its discovery. Last Friday…

The cause of the bird flu outbreak in Suffolk remains unknown but carriage by wild birds seems increasingly unlikely.

The RSPB is urging Defra to immediately put in place stringent measures to prevent wild birds picking up the virus from the farms where the disease was found.

Dr Mark Avery, Conservation Director, said: 'Defra must make sure there is absolutely no chance of the virus spreading into wild birds. It could still…

H5N1 avian influenza has been confirmed in turkeys on premises near Thetford, Norfolk.  The site was identified last week as a 'Dangerous Contact' of the first infected premises near Diss, Suffolk, so culling of the birds is already complete.  A 3km Protection Zone has been placed around the premises on the Norfolk/Suffolk border and the existing 10km Surveillance Zone has been extended.  A wider Restricted Zone covers…

The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been confirmed in turkeys on premises near Diss on the Norfolk/ Suffolk border.  The premises also house ducks and geese.  Contingency plans have been activated, and Defra has confirmed that all birds on the premises will be slaughtered. 

A 3 km Protection Zone and a 10 km Surveillance Zone have been established around the premises. Inside these zones, poultry movements…

Wild birds were blamed last February when bird flu was discovered at a Bernard Matthews farm in Suffolk.

Those claims never rang true - migrating birds were on their way out rather than on their way in - and so it proved.

Claims that wild birds are responsible for this week's outbreak may also prove too hasty. Most migrating birds have arrived for the winter and no dead wild birds have been found to be carrying bird flu…

H5 avian influenza has been confirmed in turkeys on premises near Diss on the Norfolk/ Suffolk border.  The precise identity of the virus is yet to be confirmed.  The premises also house ducks and geese.  Contingency plans have been activated, and Defra has confirmed that all birds on the premises will be slaughtered. 

A 3 km Protection Zone and a 10 km Surveillance Zone are being established around the premises. Inside these…

Tests have confirmed that three Mute Swans found dead in eastern France were positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. The birds were found dead in a pond near the town of Assenoncourt in the Moselle region. These are the first cases of H5N1 in France since early 2006 and follow on from recent cases in Germany and the Czech republic.

On 25 June 2007, it was confirmed that H5N1, the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, has been found in six wild birds (mute swans and a Canada goose) in Nuremberg, south Germany.  Protection and surveillance zones have been established in accordance with the disease control measures required under EU legislation.

A low pathogenic avian influenza H7N2 has been confirmed on a small farm located at Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr, near Cerrigydrudion in Conwy, north Wales 

15 Rhode Island Red chickens were brought onto the farm on 7 May and one bird died on 8 May. By 17 May, 10 of the birds had died. Vets were called and the disease was confirmed. 30 other birds and two geese have been slaughtered as a precaution.

GB and Wales contingency plans…

The publication today of the final epidemiology report into the Avian Influenza outbreak in Suffolk confirmed that the probable cause of infection was through imported meat products from Hungary. 

The RSPB is disappointed that the Bernard Matthews Company has used this report to call for further monitoring of wild birds, which have been exonerated as a vector in this outbreak.

In making such a call, the company opens the…

The Government is developing its investigation into the cause of the outbreak of avian influenza in the Suffolk poultry farm, following preliminary scientific tests showing the viruses in Suffolk and recent outbreaks in Hungary may well be identical. Imported turkey meat from Hungary to a processing plant next to the farm in Suffolk is being considered as a possible route of infection.

Deputy Chief Vet Fred Landeg said…

The Government has confirmed that a case of avian influenza at a turkey farm in Suffolk was caused by the H5N1 virus. It is still unclear how the turkeys became infected with the virus. The RSPB is continuing to provide assistance and help to Defra as the situation develops and will be increasing its surveillance at nearby reserves in response. The risk to human health remains extremely low and there are currently no…

The first outbreak of bird flu in the Europe this year was confirmed on Wednesday 25th January, after the EU Commission said the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain had been found in dead geese in Hungary. Tests were carried out for bird flu after an abnormally high mortality rate was reported in a flock of domestic geese. All of the remaining flock were culled.

An updated and revised strategy to screen wild birds for the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been announced. The strategy has been developed by Defra in partnership with the devolved administrations.

Defra's targeted surveillance strategy will involve sampling for the disease in areas which have higher numbers of migrating waterfowl and larger poultry populations.

The programme, being introduced…

In a report published today, Defra confirmed two further cases of low-pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza in free-range poultry in Norfolk. Both flocks were owned by the same farmer and comprised 8,000 chickens each. They have now been culled.

It is clear that the infection at these two farms pre-dates that at the intensive broiler plant where the virus was first diagnosed on 27 April. All three farms are within 3 km of each…

The government has announced an outbreak of bird flu on a chicken farm in Dereham, Norfolk.  

Current information from Defra suggests that this is an H7 virus, and that it is likely to be a low pathogenicity form of the disease. If so, it is a different disease to the H5N1 virus found in the dead whooper swan at Cellardyke. Low pathogenicity would mean that it will not be as virulent as a high pathogenicity virus. There have…