UK - Avian Flu confirmed at a farm in East Lindsay, Lincolnshire

[Gert van der Hoek]

Lincolnshire, wikepedia


From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

First published: 16 January 2017

The UK?s Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed H5N8 avian flu in a flock of turkeys at a farm in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire.


This follows confirmation of the disease in a flock of turkeys on a nearby farm on 16 December. There is unlikely to be a direct link to the previous case but a full investigation is under way to confirm this.

A 3km Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone have been put in place around the infected premises to limit the risk of the disease spreading. The flock is estimated to contain approximately 6,000 birds. A number have died and the remaining live birds at the premises are being humanely culled.

The advice from Public Health England is that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the Food Standards Agency has made clear that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.

Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens said:

We have taken swift action to limit the risk of the disease spreading with restrictions in place around the affected premises. A full investigation is underway to determine the source of the infection.
This finding reminds us that we must all be vigilant for signs of disease and take steps to minimise the risk of birds catching the disease from wild birds ? either directly or through the environment.
This means complying with the legal requirement currently in place to house birds or otherwise keep them separate from wild birds and following strict biosecurity measures to minimise the risk of avian flu spreading via the environment.

This is the same strain which was found in backyard flocks in Carmarthenshire, Wales and in Settle, North Yorkshire, earlier this month, as well as at a different turkey farm in Lincolnshire in December and in a number of wild birds in England, Wales and Scotland.

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone is currently in place, requiring keepers of poultry and other captive birds to continue to keep their birds indoors, or take appropriate practical steps to keep them separate from wild birds. This means all poultry keepers ? even those who just keep a few birds as pets ? must do everything they can to keep them separate from wild birds and minimise the risk of them catching avian flu via the environment.

The Chief Vet has issued practical advice for people with backyard poultry on how to limit the risk to their birds. This includes keeping birds in a suitable building where possible and taking precautions such as putting up netting, keeping food and water inside and disinfecting footwear, vehicles and equipment after contact with birds.

Members of the public are encouraged to report dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or gulls, or five or more dead wild birds of other species in the same location, to the Defra helpline on 03459 335577.

Background

1. All poultry owners should follow Defra?s biosecurity advice.
2. A Prevention Zone was declared on 6 December 2016 and is in place until 28 February.
3. For advice and guidance on what to do if you keep poultry, or to report suspicion of disease in animals, call the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. There is an out of hours facility on the same number for reporting suspicion of disease in animals.
4. Members of the public are encouraged to report dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks), or other dead wild birds such as gulls or birds of prey, to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77. Defra will then test them to help understand how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of bird.
5. Latest information and announcements about avian flu in winter 2016 to 2017.
6. For more information on this press release please call Defra press office on 020 8225 7318.

[Pathfinder]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, United Kingdom

Information received on 18/01/2017 from Dr Nigel Gibbens, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, LONDON, United Kingdom

Summary Report type Follow-up report No. 3 Date of start of the event 11/12/2016 Date of confirmation of the event 16/12/2016 Report date 17/01/2017 Date submitted to OIE 18/01/2017 Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease Date of previous occurrence 17/07/2015 Manifestation of disease Clinical disease Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Serotype H5N8 Nature of diagnosis Clinical This event pertains to a defined zone within the country Related reports Immediate notification (17/12/2016) Follow-up report No. 1 (22/12/2016) Follow-up report No. 2 (09/01/2017) Follow-up report No. 3 (17/01/2017)

New outbreaks (4)

Outbreak 1 (WB AIV 2017/01) Lancashire, ENGLAND Date of start of the outbreak 02/01/2017 Outbreak status Resolved (02/01/2017) Epidemiological unit Natural park Affected animals Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered Tufted Duck:Aythya fuligula(Anatidae) 1 1 1 0 0 Affected population 1 wild bird found dead

Outbreak 2 (WB AIV 2017/2) Tyne & Wear, ENGLAND Date of start of the outbreak 02/01/2017 Outbreak status Resolved (02/01/2017) Epidemiological unit Natural park Affected animals Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered Black-headed Gull:Larus ridibundus(Laridae) 1 1 1 0 0 Affected population 1 wild bird found dead

Outbreak 3 (WB AIV 2017/03) North Yorkshire, ENGLAND Date of start of the outbreak 05/01/2017 Outbreak status Resolved (05/01/2017) Epidemiological unit Natural park Affected animals Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered Mallard:Anas platyrhynchos(Anatidae) 2 2 2 0 0 Affected population 2 wild birds found dead

Outbreak 4 (AIV 2017/03) Louth, East Lindsey, ENGLAND Date of start of the outbreak 15/01/2017 Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided) Epidemiological unit Farm Affected animals Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered Birds 6640 3420 400 0 0 Affected population 6640 fattening turkeys - culling and disposal of the remaining birds is being arranged.

Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 4 Total animals affected Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered Tufted Duck:Aythya fuligula(Anatidae) 1 1 1 0 0 Black-headed Gull:Larus ridibundus(Laridae) 1 1 1 0 0 Mallard:Anas platyrhynchos(Anatidae) 2 2 2 0 0 Birds 6640 3420 400 0 0 Outbreak statistics Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost* Tufted Duck:Aythya fuligula(Anatidae) 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Black-headed Gull:Larus ridibundus(Laridae) 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Mallard:Anas platyrhynchos(Anatidae) 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Birds 51.51% 6.02% 11.70% 6.02% *Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

Epidemiology Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection Unknown or inconclusive Epidemiological comments First Turkey flock (Louth - start date 11/12/2016): disease control programmes have been applied and primary cleansing and disinfection of the infected premises was completed on 30 December 2016. Investigations conducted so far on contact tracings and poultry holdings in the restriction zones have uncovered no evidence of further spread. All control measures set out in the immediate notification have been applied. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing. Updates will be provided in weekly reports if further information becomes available. Second Turkey flock (Louth - start date 15/01/2017): disposal and culling have started on site; 3km and 10km zones have been put in place. Epidemiological investigations are on-going. No trade to international partners. Backyard cases in Settle and Llanelli: all control measures set out in the immediate notification have been applied including restriction zones. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing. Updates will be provided in weekly reports if further information becomes available. Wild bird cases: only one case (Abbotsbury) is continuing. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing. Updates will be provided in weekly reports if further information becomes available.

Control measures Measures applied Movement control inside the country Disinfection / Disinfestation Traceability Stamping out Official destruction of animal products Official disposal of carcasses, by-products and waste Surveillance within containment and/or protection zone Zoning Vaccination prohibited No treatment of affected animals Measures to be applied No other measures

Future Reporting The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

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http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=22393