Disease control measures have been initiated by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland following a suspect case of notifiable highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), otherwise known as bird flu.
The suspect case was at a commercial poultry premises near Omagh.
The chief veterinary officer (CVO) for Northern Ireland, Brian Dooher has taken the decision based on number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir confirmed: “A suspect case of notifiable avian influenza was reported on Friday, 3 October and initial results suggest the presence of notifiable HPAI.
“The CVO has, therefore, taken the decision, as a precautionary measure, to apply appropriate disease control measures, including the humane culling of all poultry on the site and the introduction of Temporary Control Zones (TCZ) to mitigate for onward disease spread.
“This suspect incursion of HPAI is a stark reminder that we cannot afford to be complacent.
“It is imperative that all bird owners – from backyard hobbyists to commercial flock keepers with thousands of birds – adhere to all biosecurity measures to protect their flocks.”
Brian Dooher added: “The disease control measures are crucial to limit any potential spread of disease and I appeal to all bird owners – backyard and commercial – to take all necessary steps to protect your flock.
“This includes ensuring continuous excellent levels of biosecurity and reporting any suspect cases of avian flu to DAERA immediately.
“Samples from the infected premises have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory to confirm strain and pathogenicity.”
Should HPAI be officially confirmed, the TCZs will be revoked and replaced with a 3km Protection Zone (PZ) and 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ).
