All poultry keeping farms within the 10-kilometre surveillance zone around the infected property are now allowed to move poultry and other animals without restriction.

Other restrictions covering the storage, transport and sourcing of meat products are also lifted.

A protected zone which imposed additional movement controls on properties within three kilometres of the infected farm was lifted on 12 December.

Chief Vet Nigel Gibbens said: “Protecting our country from animal diseases is important for our economy, and our robust and thorough approach to tackling this outbreak means we are able to lift these restrictions at the earliest possible point allowed by EU law.

“This outbreak should serve as a reminder for the poultry industry of the importance of maintaining strict biosecurity to minimise the risk of infection, and I would urge keepers to remain vigilant for any signs of disease and report suspicions to their vet immediately.”

The outbreak of avian flu was confirmed at a duck farm in East Yorkshire on 16 November and a 10-kilometre restriction zone was placed around the property.

All poultry on the premises were humanely destroyed and the affected farm was cleaned and disinfected.

Guidance was published advising poultry keepers how to minimise the risk of infection on their farm.

Extensive investigations have been carried out, including checks on UK premises with live birds that could have been a source of avian flu infection for the infected premises. No further cases of Avian Flu have been identified.

Investigations are ongoing into the most likely source of the outbreak.

Further Reading

You can visit the Avian Flu page by clicking here.