Fourth Bird Flu Case Confirmed in Norfolk Amidst New Restrictions

A fourth instance of bird flu has been confirmed in Norfolk, occurring mere hours after restrictions were put into effect across four counties. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reported that the H5N1 virus was identified in captive birds at a facility situated near Cranworth, close to Watton. A 3km (1.8-mile) captive monitoring controlled zone has been established around the premises, and the birds will be humanely culled, Defra added. Earlier this month, three previous cases were confirmed in mid Norfolk—two in Watton, and another located 10 miles (16km) away in Dereham. On Friday, Defra announced that Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire, and parts of Yorkshire had been placed under an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) to lessen the potential for further outbreaks. It is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in these areas to “mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease,” the department stated.