The government has further expanded bird flu housing measures as case numbers continue to rise nationwide.
Defra today announced its avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) with housing measures would be extended to cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire from 00:01 on Sunday 16 February.
This is in addition to existing housing measures in the East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Shropshire, York and North Yorkshire.
An England-wide AIPZ mandating enhanced biosecurity, but without mandatory housing in all other counties, also remains in force.
The move follows a ban on gatherings of poultry, galliformes or anseriformes birds across the UK earlier this week.
“Following the continued increasing number of bird flu cases across England, particularly in areas of concentrated poultry farming, we are now extending housing measures further,” said UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss.
“Bird keepers are reminded to continue remaining vigilant to any signs of disease, check which requirements apply to them while continuing to exercise robust biosecurity measures, and ensure you report suspected disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.”
In other parts of the UK, devolved governments have taken other steps. An AIPZ was declared across the whole of Scotland on 25 January and in Wales as of 10 February 2025, gatherings of poultry will no longer be permitted. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland mandatory housing measures are to come into force from 17 February.
It comes as the BBC reported that almost 1.8 million birds have now been culled due to concerns of avian flu since the first outbreak on 5 November.
Defra told the broadcaster this was a “small proportion” of the industry’s total production, which is about 20 million birds a week.
“We know the devastating impact bird flu has had on farmers and poultry producers which is why we have taken further measures in recent weeks, including introducing housing orders in the most affected areas,” said a spokesperson. “We have acted quickly to cull all poultry on the infected premises to stop the risk of the disease spreading and to protect Britain’s food security.”
Any premises affected will be paid compensation for all healthy birds that have been culled for disease control purposes, the government confirmed.
According to Defra data, there have been 32 outbreaks of bird flu in England and one case in Scotland so far, with the latest confirmed cases in Merseyside and Cornwall.
Last week Gary Ford, PR and policy advisor at the British Free Range Egg Producers Association, warned that “there is still some time to go before the higher-risk period for avian influenza ends in the spring”.
“Farmers are very concerned and worried about the current outbreak with a widespread feeling of vulnerability,” he told The Grocer in the wake of a major outbreak at a barn egg site in Shropshire.
The organisation has called for the implementation of a housing order for free-range laying hens across Britain to reduce the risk of contact with wild birds.
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