New bird flu outbreak confirmed in UK

The UK government warned bird keepers to remain vigilant after bird flu was detected at a commercial poultry farm in northern England, the second outbreak this year and first of the season.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed on Tuesday the presence of the H5N5 strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu.

The virus was detected at a farm in Yorkshire, meaning the UK is no longer free from bird flu as per World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) rules.

All poultry on the premises was set to be culled, with a three-kilometer (1.8-mile) protection zone placed around the farm, near the seaside town of Hornsea.

While the last outbreak in February 2024 was of the H5N1 strain of the virus, the H5N5 virus detected this time around follows previous findings in Europe, according to DEFRA.

No bird flu cases have yet been detected during this outbreak in Wales or Scotland.

Risk level increased to 'high'

While the risk level to poultry remains low for premises with strong biosecurity, the risk was increased from medium to high for wild birds.

Between 2021 and 2023, the UK experienced its largest ever bird flu outbreak due to the H5N1 strain. It killed 3.8 million birds and the virus became widespread in wild bird populations.

Some UK seabird populations experienced "extensive declines" in the period, said a study by conservationists at the start of 2024.

The disease mainly affects birds and the risk to the general public's health is very low, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

However, scientists have raised concerns about the virus's ability to spread to and between mammals.