A new case of bird flu has been identified in commercial poultry at a third farm near a market town. The highly contagious strain of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, was confirmed today at a farm close to Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire’s Newark and Sherwood district. The government announced the establishment of a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone around the affected premises, with all poultry on the farm set to be humanely culled.
This development follows earlier cases of bird flu detected at two other farms near Newark-on-Trent on December 26 and December 30. In response to those incidents, similar protection and surveillance zones were implemented, leading to the culling of all poultry on the affected farms.
A map outlining the boundaries of the protection and surveillance zones for the latest case can be accessed through the official government declaration published on their website. The affected area seems to be 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.
HPAI is the severe form of bird flu, causing high mortality rates in birds. In contrast, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) presents milder symptoms such as sneezing or reduced egg production, but it can potentially evolve into the severe form. H5N1, a highly contagious subtype, has caused widespread poultry deaths globally.
The virus can be transmitted to humans through close contact and has the potential to be fatal, according to the NHS. However, human infections in the UK are rare, with most cases reported in parts of Asia and North Africa.
The NHS warns 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 a bird that succumbed to the disease.
Symptoms of bird flu in humans typically manifest four to six days after exposure to an infected bird and can vary in severity, including fever, cough, sore throat, runny or blocked nose, sneezing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and irritated eyes.