England has placed all bird keepers under an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone and will impose a nationwide housing order as highly pathogenic bird-flu findings increase.
The prevention zone took effect at 9am on 11 November. It requires enhanced biosecurity from commercial flocks and backyard keepers alike, including movement controls, disinfection, record keeping and measures to keep captive birds away from wild birds and water sources.
A second layer of controls begins at 00:01 on 13 November. Keepers with at least 50 birds, and those who sell or give away eggs, poultry products or live birds, must house their poultry and captive birds, subject to specified exceptions such as some zoo birds.
The measures are mandatory disease-control rules rather than advice. Officials said the current risk to human health remains very low, and properly cooked poultry and eggs remain safe. Suspected disease must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Official prevention-zone declaration
