Bird flu has been found in commercial poultry at a third farm near a market town. The highly infectious strain of avian influenza, also referred to as bird flu, has been officially identified at a farm close to Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire’s Newark and Sherwood district, as per a government announcement. A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been established around the premises, with all poultry on the farm set to be humanely culled, according to the notice.
This development follows the confirmation of bird flu 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 implemented, leading to the culling of all poultry on the affected farms.
A map delineating the protection and surveillance zones for this latest case can be accessed in the declaration published on the government website. The site is situated just north of Winthorpe and Langford, near North Muskham.
Notifications regarding cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 are issued by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
As the name implies, HPAI is the severe form of bird flu, resulting in high mortality rates in birds. In contrast, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) is less severe, causing symptoms like sneezing or decreased egg production, although it can sometimes evolve into the severe form. H5N1 is an extremely contagious subtype that has resulted in the deaths of millions of poultry globally.
The virus can be transmitted to humans through close contact and can be deadly, according to the NHS. However, human infections are rare in the UK, with the majority of cases reported in parts of Asia and North Africa.
The NHS highlights that individuals can contract bird flu by being in close proximity to an infected bird or by coming into contact with the feces of an infected bird or a bird that has died from the disease.
Symptoms of bird flu in humans typically manifest four to six days after exposure to an infected bird and can vary from mild to severe, encompassing fever, cough, sore throat, runny or blocked nose, sneezing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and irritated eyes.