Tuesday 04/November/2025 – 07:54 PM
Britain on Tuesday imposed mandatory shelter measures for birds across England starting next Thursday, in an attempt to slow the spread of bird flu, according to Reuters.
England imposes a mandatory shelter for birds
The disease is spreading rapidly in Europe, with a number of countries reporting early outbreaks of the disease, the highest in at least a decade, raising fears of a repeat of previous crises that led to the culling of tens of millions of birds and rising food prices.
The outbreak has been confirmed in two commercial poultry units, one in North Yorkshire, one in Devon, and a third among captive birds in East Sussex.
Spread of bird flu
There have been 23 outbreaks so far in the UK in the 2025-26 season, which started on October 1, including 19 in England.
Bird breeders with fewer than 50 birds are exempt from housing measures, as long as the eggs and poultry products are for their personal use only.
The disease is spread mainly by wild birds migrating southward in the fall. The World Health Organization has confirmed that the risk of humans contracting bird flu remains low, as most of those infected have been in close contact with infected animals, but the virus needs to be monitored as it increasingly spreads to mammals.
