Bird flu has been confirmed on a farm near Banbury in Oxfordshire.
Chickens on a farm in Oxfordshire tested positive for the H7 strain of bird flu, rather than the highly virulent H5N1 strain, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
Nigel Gibbons, the Government’s chief vet, says that all birds on the premises are being slaughtered.
NIgel Gibbons said: ‘I would stress the need for poultry keepers to be extremely vigilant, practice the highest levels of biosecurity and report any suspicions of disease to their local animal health office immediately.’
A control zone, consisting of a 3km (1.8-mile) inner zone and a 10km (6.2-mile) outer zone has been set up around the premises, according to Defra.
According to Defra’s latest update, the risk to public health ‘remains low’.
Bird flu was confirmed on the farm near Banbury in Oxfordshire last night, with a control zone now monitoring the situation. It is the first case of bird flu confirmed since the outbreak at Abbotsbury Swannery in January.
To comment on this article, use the comment box below, or email us at clonews@ipcmedia.com. Read more about the countryside.
