Bird flu has been found in commercial poultry at a third farm close to a market town. The highly infectious strain of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, was verified today at a farm near Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire’s Newark and Sherwood district, according to a government announcement. “A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone has been established around the premises. All poultry on the farm will be humanely euthanized,” the notice stated.
This discovery follows previous cases of bird flu confirmed at two other farms near Newark-on-Trent on December 26 and December 30. In both instances, 3km protection zones and 10km surveillance zones were imposed, with all poultry on the affected farms culled.
A map outlining the protection and surveillance zones for this latest incident can be accessed in the declaration released on the government website. The site is situated just north of Winthorpe and Langford, near North Muskham.
Notifications regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 cases are issued by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
HPAI is the severe form of bird flu, characterized by high mortality rates in birds. Conversely, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) is less severe, manifesting in symptoms like sneezing or reduced egg production, although it can evolve into the severe form. H5N1 is a highly transmissible subtype that has resulted in the deaths of millions of poultry globally.
The virus can be transmitted to humans through close contact and poses a fatal risk, as per the NHS. Nevertheless, human infections are uncommon in the UK, with most cases documented in parts of Asia and North Africa.
The NHS advises that humans can contract bird flu by direct exposure to an infected bird or by handling the excrement of an infected bird or one that has perished from the disease.
Symptoms of bird flu in humans typically manifest four to six days post contact with an infected bird and can vary from mild to severe, encompassing fever, cough, sore throat, runny or congested nose, sneezing, breathing difficulties, wheezing, and irritated eyes.