THE public health boss for Herefordshire has spoken out about the risks from bird flu after it was confirmed at a county farm.

Dr Rebecca Howell-Jones, acting director of public health at Herefordshire Council, said the risk to people was "very low", but issued a warning to keepers of birds.

Avian influenza, known more commonly as bird flu, was found at one of Corbett Farms' sites in Shobdon, near Leominster, last week.

It led to a raft of new measures being enforced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) within a 10-mile radius of Ox House Farm in Ledicot Lane.

The farm confirmed bird flu – the H5N1 strain – had been found at one of its sites and the Animal and Plant Health Agency was on site on Friday.

“Members of the public should not be alarmed; the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the UK Food Standards Agency advises that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, remain safe to eat," Dr Howell-Jones said said.

“Council officers are working with DEFRA and the APHA to prevent the spread of avian flu.

"The most important thing is that keepers of poultry and captive birds in the county continue to follow the guidance to keep birds inside and to be vigilant for any signs of disease.

"Please maintain good biosecurity on your premises and if you have any concerns, seek prompt advice from your vet.”

The agency, part of Defra, works to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. The farm said it would support whatever course of action was recommended.

"The APHA are currently on site assessing the situation and will determine what course of action then think appropriate to control the outbreak," Richard Corbett from the farm said.

"They will then enact their plan with full support from ourselves."

In a statement issued locally, the farm said a public footpath running through the site had been closed as access is restricted to control the disease.

Defra said the strain had been found at 28 farms in England, with the site in Shobdon one of the latest on that list.

According to planning documents submitted by Corbett Farms to Herefordshire Council, 12,000 birds are housed there.

At 9pm on Thursday, control zones were authorised by the Secretary of State.

The two zones, which extend as far as 10-kilometres radius of the site, are to prevent the flu from spreading.

The 10-kilometre control zones mean 314.2 square kilometers of Herefordshire, as well as across the border into Powys, must follow certain rules surrounding poultry.

Kate James, lead health protection practitioner at UK Health Security Agency West Midlands, said: “UKHSA has been notified of an outbreak of avian flu influenza at a poultry farm in Herefordshire.

"Avian flu (often called bird flu) is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public’s health is low.

"As a precaution, we are offering public health advice to those workers who had contact with the affected birds, as is standard practice. 

“It is important to add that Avian Influenza is in no way connected to the Covid-19 pandemic which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which is not carried in poultry.”

The NHS said the strain does not infect people easily and is not usually spread from human to human.

But several people have been infected around the world, leading to a number of deaths, it said.

An Avara spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a farm within the Avara supply chain has had Avian Influenza confirmed on site.

"We’re working closely with APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) and Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to manage the incident, and want to emphasise that there are no concerns about consequences for human health.

"Any outbreak causes inevitable disruption and there are a number of other farms in the area, but we’re already revising our plans and are confident that we can manage the impact and continue to meet our commitments.

"We do not comment on bird numbers by farm.”

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in in place countrywide and it is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures.

The national Avian Influenza Prevention Zone means that it is a legal requirement that bird keepers across the country must:

  • House or net all poultry and captive birds to keep them separate from wild birds
  • Cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing
  • Reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective vermin control
  • Thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing on a continuous basis
  • Keep fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
  • Minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds

Bird keepers should visit the gov.uk website for full details of the AIPZ and updated biosecurity guidance.

The public are also told not to touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that they find.

Anyone who finds dead swans, geese or ducks or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, should report them to the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77

Keepers should report any suspicion of disease to Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301.