Bird flu has been identified in commercial poultry at a third farm near a market town. The highly contagious avian influenza strain, commonly known as bird flu, was verified today at a farm near Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire’s Newark and Sherwood district, as per a government announcement. A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been established around the site, with all poultry on the premises scheduled for humane culling.
This discovery follows previous cases of bird flu at two other farms near Newark-on-Trent on December 26 and December 30. Similar to those incidents, 3km protection zones and 10km surveillance zones were implemented, resulting in the culling of all birds on the affected farms.
A map outlining the protection and surveillance zones for this recent case is accessible in the declaration released on the government website. The location is positioned just north of Winthorpe and Langford, near North Muskham.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency publish notifications regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 cases. HPAI is the severe form of bird flu, characterized by high mortality rates in birds. In contrast, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) is less severe, manifesting as symptoms like sneezing or reduced egg production, although it can evolve into the severe form. H5N1, a highly contagious subtype, has caused significant poultry fatalities globally.
The virus can transmit to humans through close contact and has the potential to be fatal, as per the NHS. Nevertheless, human infections in the UK are infrequent, with most cases reported in regions of Asia and North Africa.
The NHS warns that individuals can contract bird flu by close interaction with an infected bird or by handling the feces of an infected bird or a bird that succumbed to the disease. Symptoms typically manifest in humans four to six days post-exposure and can vary from mild to severe, encompassing fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, breathing difficulties, wheezing, and irritated eyes.