Birds to be culled after avian flu detected at poultry farm near Carlisle

Similar control zones are already in place around a farm near Penrith. Credit: ITV

There has been a confirmed outbreak of bird flu confirmed at a commercial premises in Cumbria.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry at a premises near Southwaite in Eden, on Friday 10 March.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has put in place a three kilometre protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone.

All poultry on the premises are set to be humanely culled, Defra said.

In England the avian influenza protection zone means that birds within the area must be housed. This zone covers both sides of the M6 in a three kilometre area north west of Southwaite.

The 10km surveillance zone spreads across most of Carlisle and overlaps with another zone imposed near Penrith after the disease was detected outside Langwathby in January.

This map shows the control zones now in force in North East Cumbria. Credit: Animal and Plant Health Agency

In the United Kingdom, there have been 174 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 since 1 October 2022:

  • 147 cases in England

  • 21 cases in Scotland

  • 5 cases in Wales

  • 1 case in Northern Ireland

There have been 282 cases of (HPAI) H5N1 in England since the H5N1 outbreak started in October 2021.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency state that the main causes of bird flu in poultry and other captive birds are contact with:

  • wild birds, in particular waterfowl such as geese, ducks and swans and gulls

  • faeces from infected birds

  • dirty footwear, clothing and vehicles and equipment

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