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All of England has been in an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) to stem the rise of bird flu since earlier this year. However, there have until now been no mandatory nation-wide biosecurity measures required for birdkeepers. But the first case of the highly infectious HPAI H5N1 strain of the disease was identified earlier this month and so far eight cases in the country have been confirmed, including at a commercial poultry premises near Lakenheath in West Suffolk earlier this week and in captive birds at a premises near Newington, Swale in Kent on Tuesday. Now Defra has updated its AIPZ rules, and introduced further measures from midnight today (Wednesday) that apply to certain counties in the country - including Staffordshire. The move means that in these areas, people must house their birds if they keep 50 birds or more of any species or are keeping poultry for commercial purposes. Among the areas identified by Defra in the changes are Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire. Other areas include Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Tyne and Wear and West Yorkshire. A spokesperson for Defra said: "You will not have to house your birds if you keep less than 50 birds and their eggs or poultry products are for your own use only. "These additional housing measures will apply in the high-risk counties."
