A public alert has been issued after the Government confirmed a bird flu outbreak near Crowborough.
Wealden District Council has called on residents and businesses that house birds to be vigilant to signs of disease and report any suspected cases immediately.
The appeal comes after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it had confirmed “highly pathogenic avian influenza” at a large commercial poultry premises at Danehill.
It said all the birds there would be humanely culled and a protective zones have been set up around the location. A 3km protection and a 10km surveillance zone have been put in place with biosecurity implications for each. The defra map shows Crowborough outside of these zones.
Within the protective zone poultry must be housed or isolated, eggs cannot be moved off site without a licence, and poultry litter, manure, or slurry cannot be moved from the premises. It also means keepers need to make a record of visitors, along with poultry numbers and movements.
The risk of bird flu to humans is low, with transmission from birds very rare, say scientists.
Wealden District Council said signs that birds have the virus include unusual quietness, decreased levels of activity, feeding and egg production. It advised that poultry keepers could protect their flocks by ensuring their living areas were clean and tidy, separating different species and preventing contact with wild birds.
For more information visit: https://www.wealden.gov.uk/news/bird-keepers-and-public-to-be-alert-following-outbreak-of-avian-flu-in-east-sussex/