Tests done by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) indicate an outbreak of avian influenza.
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The restrictions on the farm mean that all other poultry farms within the 10-kilometre control zone will not be able to move poultry or other animals.
A six-mile surveillance zone and three-mile protection zone have been put in place around the farm in Lancashire to stop the “highly pathogenic” case from spreading.
An estimated 170,000 birds are due to be slaughtered at Field Foot Farm, just outside Longridge, after preliminary lab results established bird flu had been identified.
All birds at the farm will be culled to limit the risk of disease spreading, officials said.
Official advice from Public Health England is that the risk to public health remains very low and the Food Standards Agency have dismissed any concerns regarding a food safety danger. These actions are part of our tried and tested approach to dealing with previous outbreaks.
“Public Health England has confirmed that the risk to public health from this strain is very low”.
“We have made use of punctual safety behavior to restriction the potential risk of disorder publicizing”, said Britain’s fundamental vetrinarian, Nigel Gibbens. The outbreaks in Yorkshire past year and Hampshire in February were both successfully contained, allowing restrictions to be lifted at the earliest opportunity.
Defra said an investigation into this case, including how the birds became affected was ongoing.
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I would urge bird keepers to be vigilant for any signs of the disease.’.
