UK Government Consults On Avian Flu Measures, DEFRA

Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Public Health;  Public Health
Article Date: 13 Feb 2006 - 16:00 PDT

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Views are being sought on the implementation of measures aimed at limiting and eradicating an outbreak of avian influenza - Defra announced today.

The Avian Influenza Directive was recently adopted in Europe and now requires implementation into UK law. The Directive introduces new powers and disease surveillance measures including:

-- Allowing member states to slaughter birds found to have a low pathogenic strain of the virus and introduce movement controls around the affected area

-- Boosting surveillance for the disease with programmes for sampling of flocks

-- Introducing powers to restrict movements on suspicion of disease and national or regional movement restrictions after disease is confirmed

-- Allowing state vets to apply controls flexibly to keep industry operating in a biosecure way

-- Surveillance in pigs if they are found to be infected with the virus

-- Requiring Member States to keep a central register of commercial poultry keepers

Whilst the Directive maintains the basic strict requirements for notification of disease, slaughter and movement controls, for the first time it allows a flexible risk-based approach in response to individual situations. The Directive adds other new provisions such as surveillance of poultry for the low pathogenic strain of the AI virus and powers to control the low pathogenic strain if it is found.

Ben Bradshaw said:

'The Avian Influenza Directive was successfully adopted last year under the UK's Presidency and updates the previous European controls. Here in the UK we are determined to be fully prepared for the possibility of this disease reaching us. We will therefore put in place legislation to implement the EU Avian Influenza Directive by mid Summer.

'I would also like to take this opportunity to remind poultry owners to register their flock on the department's poultry database. By law you must register if you own or are responsible for a commercial poultry premises with 50 or more birds. At present, premises with fewer than 50 birds are not required to register but are encouraged to do so on a voluntary basis. Once owners have registered we will be able to contact them and help them manage any potential disease outbreak if it arises in the UK.'

1. More information about the consultation.

2. Further information about avian influenza defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm.

3. Details of the poultry register.

4. Poultry owners can access the department's biosecurity advice .

5. Information on the Avian Influenza Directive can be found on the Commission's website.

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