On Nov. 6, 2024, The United Kingdom’s Chief Veterinary Officers was urging all bird keepers to follow scrupulous biosecurity measures following the confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 and HPAI H5N5 in poultry in England.

To prevent further spread of the disease all poultry on the infected premises were humanely culled and a 3 km protection zone and 10 km surveillance zone was put in place surrounding the affected premises.

Within these disease control zones restrictions on the movement of poultry and other captive birds, carcases, eggs, used poultry litter and manure apply. Bird keepers in the disease control zones will have the opportunity to apply for movement licences for some specific low risk movements from the zones. Within the 3km protection zone bird keepers must also house their birds to protect them.

The new cases of HPAI in kept birds followed the recent increase in risk levels for both wild birds and poultry, and detection of both HPAI H5N1 and HPAI H5N5 in wild birds in Great Britain and across continental Europe.