Avian Influenza Update – 04 April 2023

[willie reynolds]

Avian Influenza Update – 04 April 2023
NIPA Office4 April 2023Uncategorised

I am pleased to inform you that on Friday 31 March the United Kingdom (UK) CVO, Dr Christine Middlemiss, as the UK representative to the World Animal Health Organisation (WOAH) submitted a self-declaration for the zone of Northern Ireland (NI) to be considered free from High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) in poultry. This declaration will be reviewed by WOAH colleagues to ensure that it includes information consistent with the requirements described in the WOAH standards, especially those under Chapter 10.4. Infection with High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Viruses of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, as well as with the information already reported by the UK to the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS). I will provide a further update in due course when the declaration is published.

This is a welcome development and is a testament to the collaborative response to this outbreak across all stakeholders in NI. Recognition of freedom from HPAI from WOAH will release previously unavailable export health certificates that provide for zonal freedom and also allow DAERA and DEFRA market access to negotiate with other third country markets on a bi-lateral basis to recognise NI freedom from HPAI. We can discuss further at our stakeholder meeting tomorrow Wednesday 5 April.

This is an important step in the recovery from the HPAI outbreak in NI however as previously mentioned complacency can now become our biggest challenge. We have continued to meet internally to discuss the next steps on HPAI restrictions and have commenced a review of the veterinary risk assessment this week. The risk across Great Britain (GB) is continuing on a downwards trajectory with the most recent assessment concluding that the risk to poultry in GB is now low where stringent biosecurity is applied and where there is suboptimal biosecurity the risk to poultry is now medium. These risk levels are the agreed triggers to commence discussions on the removing of restrictions in a stepped manner and we are actively discussing the approach with colleagues from across GB and the Republic of Ireland (ROI)

As we potentially move towards a relaxation of restrictions the single most important step that can be taken by all bird keepers is to employ the best possible biosecurity to prevent an incursion. Excellent levels of biosecurity remain the most effective protection against an incursion of avian flu. The measures within the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone place a legal requirement on all bird keepers in NI to follow strict mandatory biosecurity measures. This applies if you keep pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard or hobby flock.

I urge all organisations to increase their communications to their members stressing the need for constant evaluation of their biosecurity arrangements