A protection zone has been set up after an outbreak of bird flu in Angus, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer has said.
On Friday night, Sheila Voas said a 10km (6.8 mile) surveillance zone had also been declared around the area as well as the 3km protection zone in Kirriemuir after a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was reported.
According to the declaration published on the Scottish government’s website, the affected premises is Over Ascreavie House, Kingoldrum, Kirriemuir.
The restrictions will stop the movement of poultry, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure to prevent the disease from spreading.
A statement from the Scottish government, signed by Voas, said: “The chief veterinary officer (Scotland) has formed the opinion that highly pathogenic avian influenza exists, or has in the previous 56 days existed, on-premises and has informed the Scottish Ministers of that conclusion.”
The outbreak is the first case of avian illness in Scotland since the summer of 2023, when, Voas said, “almost all” of the 32,000 infected chickens found on one Aberdeenshire farm had to be culled in July.
Aberdeen city council said 100 dead birds were collected from the city’s beach over a fortnight during the same timeframe, and Aberdeenshire council said it found more than 300 dead birds on its beaches simultaneously.
The Scottish government stressed that the risk to the public was “very low”, even for people who have experienced prolonged exposure to infected birds, and avian influenzas also pose a very low food safety risk.
A spokesperson said: “We can confirm a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been detected at a premises near Kirriemuir, Angus. This is the first case in Scotland since 2023.
“Keepers of poultry and other captive birds in Scotland are advised to remain vigilant for signs of the disease and reminded they have a legal requirement to immediately report any suspicion of disease in Scotland to the local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) field services office.”
Bird flu is a virus that infects birds and other animals such as foxes, seals and otters. The dominant H5N1 variant was found in Hong Kong in 1997 and included zoonotic (animal to human) transmission, infecting 18 people, six of whom died.
However, transmission from birds to humans is rare.
