‘Highly contagious’ bird flu outbreak near Arundel

Confirmation of bird flu near Arundel has prompted immediate government action.

A three-kilometer control zone has been set up around the place where the disease was first confirmed.

In this controlled zone, bird owners must take strict measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

These include housing poultry and other captive birds, distributing poultry litter, and moving eggs without a permit.

In the control zone, bird keepers must take strict measures to contain the spread of the disease (Image: HM Government)

This comes after a national shortage of eggs believed to be linked, at least in part, to outbreaks of bird flu across England.

It is already a requirement that captive birds in the UK be housed or prevented from mixing with wild birds through the use of nets.

But a government spokesman stressed that unless a veterinarian from the Animal and Plant Health Agency advises that nets are allowed, birds in the controlled zone “must be housed”.

Poultry must be kept in the control zone (Image: Woodley Wonderworks)

West Sussex County Council is asking bird keepers in the Control Zone who have not yet registered their birds to register themselves on the Poultry Register by Monday 28 November.

Avian flu found near Arundel is caused by a strain suitable for birds and poses a very low risk to human health.