Housing measures introduced to protect poultry and other captive birds

In response to increased findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza (commonly known as bird flu) in wild birds and new cases in poultry and kept birds, coupled with heightened risk levels, an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone with housing measures is being introduced for north, central and parts of east of England to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease.

The affected counties and unitary authorities include Cheshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Tyne & Wear, West Yorkshire.

The measures do not apply to hobby keepers, only to keepers who have more than 5