A CASE of bird flu has been confirmed in mid Wales

Powys County Council has confirmed that a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza H5N1, otherwise known as bird flu, has been identified at a premises near Newtown.

A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone (Avian Influenza), or CBMCZ zone, has been declared around the infected premises, to limit the risk of disease spread.

Within this zone, bird movements and gatherings are restricted and all holdings that keep birds must be declared.

Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys, said: “It is vital keepers of birds remain vigilant and ensure they have the very highest levels of biosecurity in place.

“It is also important people do not touch or pick up any sick or dead birds to avoid spreading the virus.

“Public health advice remains that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.”

Responsibilities of people who keep birds:

• All keepers of kept birds should be vigilant for signs of the disease such as increased mortality, respiratory distress and drops in food or water intake, or egg production.

• Consult your veterinary surgeon in the first instance if your birds are unwell.

• If you or your vet suspect that avian influenza could be causing illness in your birds, you must, by law, report this to the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This will trigger a disease investigation by APHA vets.

You must apply strict biosecurity measures to prevent any materials, equipment, vehicles, clothing, feed or bedding that could have been contaminated from wild birds coming onto your premises.

If you find dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, you should report them to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.