An outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed at a farm near Beverley.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says that the East Yorkshire farm has seen an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
Measures including culling all poultry on the site as well as declaring a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone around the premises have been implemented to prevent the outbreak spreading.
It comes just a month after a farm in Hornsea saw a similar outbreak of the H5N5 strain of bird flu.
At the time of the Hornsea outbreak, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, said: “Winter is a greater risk period for avian influenza and this case demonstrates that, now is the time if you are a bird keeper to ensure you have very robust biosecurity. Bird keepers must remain alert for any signs of disease and report suspected disease immediately.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
