Highly virulent form of avian flu found in captive birds at Co Down wetland reserve

Further disease-control measures have been introduced at a Co Down wetland reserve after a highly virulent form of avian flu was found in captive birds.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs confirmed on Sunday that a 3km restriction zone was in place around Castle Espie on the banks of Strangford Lough. All poultry and captive birds at the site must now be kept in secure housing or otherwise separate from wild birds.

Earlier this week a temporary restriction zone was introduced after initial test results suggested the presence of avian flu in a captive flock. The National Reference Laboratory confirmed that the highly pathogenic avian Influenza H5N1 strain was detected.

The North’s agriculture minister, Edwin Poots, said the development was “extremely disappointing”.

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“No captive bird site or poultry premises is immune from a potential incursion of this terrible disease, and it is of paramount importance that all bird keepers take appropriate action now to review and enhance their biosecurity measures to protect their birds from this highly infectious disease.”

More than 180 cases of the strain have been confirmed in the UK in the past 12 months, including six in Northern Ireland.

The North’s chief veterinary officer, Dr Robert Huey, also urged all flock keepers to “take action to review and, where necessary, improve biosecurity in order to prevent further incursion of the disease”.

“If avian influenza were to enter our Northern Ireland commercial flock it would have a significant and devastating impact on our poultry industry, international trade, and the wider economy,” he said.

In July BirdWatch Ireland called on the Government to scale-up efforts to curtail the spread of the disease in light of shocking numbers of wild birds dying across Britain. “We are witnessing the potential decimation of seabird populations on a scale that has not been seen before in our lifetimes. We are as a result gravely concerned for seabird colonies in Ireland,” it warned.