Bird flu case confirmed as protection zone set up

A case of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, has been confirmed at a site in East Sussex.

On Saturday, East Sussex County Council (ESCC) said the government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had confirmed the case in poultry at a premises in Udimore, Rye.

All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled and Defra has set up a 3km (1.86 mile) "protection zone" around the site along with a 10km (6.21 mile) "surveillance zone", ESCC added.

The UK Health Security Agency says avian influenza is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public's health is very low.

Birds within the protection zone should not be kept outdoors and there should be no movement of birds or eggs within or out of the zone except under licence, according to the council.

All keepers of birds are now required to register their premises, excluding keepers of animals such as budgies, parrots, cockatiels, and finches, where birds are fully housed with no access to open air.

In the surveillance zone, those with poultry or other captive birds should keep a record of people visiting the premises and they should note all poultry entering or leaving the premises.

The council says there is no need to report dead birds unless a large number of them are found in one place.

ESCC added that it was working with other local partners and Defra to contain further spread.

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