Mandatory housing measures put in place across Norfolk and Suffolk as bird flu cases soar

A rise in bird flu has seen mandatory housing measures put in place across Norfolk and Suffolk.

All poultry and captive birds in both counties must be kept indoors after the measures were put in place on Wednesday.

All bird keepers, including hobby and backyard poultry keepers and anyone who keeps chickens, ducks and geese as pets, must take steps to limit the risk of the disease spreading to their animals.

Keepers with more than 500 birds will need to restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, workers will need to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and site vehicles will need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

Even more stringent measures are in place around Attleborough, which has seen a dramatic rise in cases in recent weeks.

Around a dozen 3km protection zones have been set up, each around poultry farms that have recorded a case of bird flu.

Where cases have been confirmed, all birds have been humaneley culled – hitting the pockets of farmers.

The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, said: “We are seeing a growing number of bird flu cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, and expect the risk to continue rise over the coming months as migratory birds return to the UK.

“We are now taking further action to help protect flocks from this highly infectious and devastating disease.

“Keepers in these hotspots must continue to follow strict biosecurity standards to protect their flock.”

One Attleborough poultry farmer, who asked not to be named, explained the impact of the measures.

They said: “It’s not good. It’s a really big worry. If you get it, everything’s culled.

“Luckily, we haven’t had it yet, but we still have to pay for disinfectant and cleaning products, which is a huge cost.”

County council leaders have also weighed in, urging the public to do their bit to limit the spread this winter.

Andrew Proctor, leader of Norfolk County Council, stressed the scale of the problem at a meeting of the cabinet, calling it “unprecedented”.

Cllr Proctor said everyone needs to do their bit in oder to prevent the spread of the virus this winter, stressing that “to do nothing is not an option”.

He called on people to disinfect their footwear if they have been in areas filled with wild birds, report any suspected cases to Defra and to keep pets away from dead birds.