Some local Avian Influenza restrictions lifted

Agriculture Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed that the Surveillance Zone around the affected premises in Clough was lifted on Wednesday, (10 February), while the Surveillance Zone around the affected Lisburn premises was lifted on Thursday, (11 February).

However, the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) introduced across Northern Ireland on 1 December, will remain in place; which includes the mandatory housing order, introduced on 23 December.

Confirming the decision, Minister Lyons said: “When Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N8 was confirmed in Clough and Lisburn in January, control zones were put in place around each premises as a disease control measure to limit the spread of disease. The movement of poultry and captive birds, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure were all restricted and required licences to be moved into or out of the zones.

“My officials have worked closely with colleagues from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and industry stakeholders to manage these outbreaks. Following the successful completion of all disease control activities and surveillance around both premises, the decision has been taken to lift the local movement restrictions.

“However, I want to stress that the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) measures remain in place across the whole of Northern Ireland.”

The Minister continued: “The measures in the AIPZ are still considered necessary in order to protect the Northern Ireland poultry flock from further incursions. It is imperative that we don’t get complacent with the lifting of the Surveillance Zones. The risk of avian influenza incursion into poultry flocks in NI is still at the highest it has ever been and I am urging all bird keepers to critically review biosecurity measures, remain vigilant, and report any signs of disease to the Department immediately.

“The recent confirmation of two further cases of HPAI H5N8 in poultry and captive birds in Wales and England further reinforces that we are not out of the woods yet as far as avian influenza in concerned.”

The most recent cases of HPAI H5N8 have been confirmed near Redcar in the North East of England and on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales.