Avian Flu: 3km Control Zone around Buckley premises lifted but Wales wide measures remain

A 3km control zone put in place around a premises near Buckley where a case of bird flu was found last month has now been lifted.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) H5N1 had been identified in a captive bird at the premises close to Drury Lane in early November.

At the time Flintshire Council said: “On 7 November 2022, Flintshire County Council Trading Standards (Animal Health) received notification from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) of the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 on a captive bird premises near Buckley, Flintshire. ”

“A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Zone has been put in place around the infected premises.”

All keepers of kept birds within the 3km zone were asked to be vigilant for signs of the disease.

Signs were placed by main roads in Flintshire marking the entry and exit into the 3km control zone.

The Welsh government published an update from the Interim Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, it said:

“Following successful completion of disease control activities within the zone, the Captive Bird Monitoring Control Zone has now been lifted.”

“This revocation takes effect from 17:00 on 20 December 2022, thereby ending the measures imposed in the 3 kilometre Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone centred on grid reference SJ3031163901, declared at 21.00 on 7 November 2022.”

New measures to keep all poultry and captive birds indoors to prevent the spread of bird flu come into force in Wales on December 2.

all bird keepers in Wales must keep their birds indoors or otherwise separated from wild birds.

Keepers will also be required to complete and act upon a bespoke biosecurity review of the premises where birds are kept.

This is to minimise the risk of virus entry in bird houses, which usually results in high mortality.