Bird flu outbreak confirmed at poultry farm

An outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed at a poultry farm in North Lincolnshire.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the cases were at a commercial premises near Brigg.

A protection zone of about two miles (3km) and an eight-mile (10km) surveillance zone have been put in place around the site.

All birds on the premises would be humanely culled, Defra added.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 spreads through birds' droppings and saliva, or through contaminated feed and water.

The protection zone restricts the movement of birds in the area.

Transmission from birds to humans is rare and there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission.

The first cases of HPAI this season were confirmed in Scotland on 2 October.

In October, a farmer hit by England's first outbreak of avian flu this season said the loss of 32,000 egg-laying birds was likely to cost her business more than £100,000.

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the risk to the general public's health posed by avian influenza remained very low while the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it posed a very low food safety risk, with properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, safe to eat.

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