Bird flu has been found in commercial poultry at a third farm located near a market town. The highly contagious strain of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, was officially confirmed today 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 a 10km surveillance zone have been established around the premises, with all poultry on the farm set to be humanely culled.
This development follows earlier cases of bird flu being identified 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, leading to the culling of all poultry on the affected farms.
A map delineating the protection and surveillance zones for this latest occurrence can be accessed in the declaration released on the government website. The location appears to be just north of Winthorpe and Langford, in close proximity to North Muskham.
Updates regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 cases are regularly 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. In contrast, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) is less severe, typically manifesting as symptoms like sneezing or reduced egg production, although it has the potential to evolve into the severe form. H5N1, a highly contagious subtype, has resulted in the deaths of millions of poultry globally.
The virus can be transmitted to humans through close contact and has the potential to be fatal, according to the NHS. While human infections are rare in the UK, most cases have been reported in regions 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 handling the feces of an infected bird or one that has succumbed to the disease.
Symptoms of bird flu in humans typically appear 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.