Bird flu surveillance zones lifted in Tyrone

BIRD flu surveillance zones covering Tyrone and the rest of the North are to be lifted on Saturday, but poultry farmers are warned the risk remains.

Tyrone has seen some of the largest outbreaks of avian influenza, which in one instance resulted in the culling of 27,000 birds at an Aughnacloy duck farm in December.

Agriculture minister Edwin Poots said the surveillance zones are being lifted due to the “successful completion of all disease control activities”.

He said, “These Surveillance Zones are the last local movement restrictions to be lifted and while this is very welcome news, the risk of avian influenza has not disappeared and we are certainly not out of the woods yet.

“I would like to thank the poultry industry for their incredible work so far in keeping the disease under control. There is no doubt that the efforts you have made have been vital in stopping the spread of the virus from those premises that were unfortunately affected and prevented any further incursions to date.

“However, it is now vital that complacency does not set in. Excellent biosecurity 24/7 remains the most effective way to protect individual flocks and our poultry industry from this deadly virus.”

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for the whole of the North remains in place, the minister said, which means that poultry must remain housed or otherwise separated from wild flocks.

There have been five confirmed cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of confirmed cases across the United Kingdom to 81. There are currently six confirmed cases in the South, of which the disease control zones of four extended into the North.