Bird Flu in Omagh - Oct 25

[willie reynolds]

From: Animal Disease Control Policy Branch <ADC@daera-ni.gov.uk>
Sent: 05 October 2025 12:32
Subject: Avian Influenza Update - 05.10.2025
Importance: High

Colleagues,

A Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) has been established, from 09:00 today (Sunday 05 October 2025), around a commercial poultry premises outside Omagh, County Tyrone following preliminary positive results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland (NI), Brian Dooher, has taken the decision based on a number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

The TCZ comprises a 3km TCZ-A and a 10km TCZ-B. The TCZ declaration which details all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km and 10km zones has been attached for your convenience and can be accessed here.

All moves of poultry and poultry products from the zones are prohibited for a period of 48 hours from 09:00 today (Sunday 05 October 2025).

Further information on permitted moves and licensing arrangements will be available here.

A copy of a DAERA Press Release issued is available here.

Continual high standards of biosecurity on all poultry premises is the most effective tool in protecting Northern Ireland and birds against this disease. Some simple measures flock keepers can take to protect their birds against the threat of avian flu are as follows:

Keeping the area where birds live clean and tidy, controlling rats and mice and regularly disinfecting any hard surfaces
Cleaning footwear before and after v
isits
Placing birds’ feed and water in fully enclosed areas that are protected from wild birds, and removing any spilled feed regularly
Putting fencing around outdoor areas where birds are allowed and limiting their access to ponds or areas visited by wild waterfowl
Where possible, avoid keeping ducks and geese with other poultry species.
Detailed information including a checklist on how to improve biosecurity can be found on the DAERA Avian Influenza Hub.

DAERA stresses the mandatory legislative requirement that all keepers of birds (except keepers of pet birds kept in the owners home) must be registered with DAERA. If you have not already done so, please download a registration form on the DAERA website.

Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease. Anyone who suspects an animal may be affected by a notifiable disease must, by law, report it to the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or your local DAERA Direct Office immediately. Failure to do so is an offence.

Please share this information with your members.

Kind regards Steven Lucas.