UK Orders Nationwide Poultry Lockdown as Bird Flu Crisis Deepens

A new wave of bird flu sweeping across England has forced the UK government to issue an emergency order requiring all poultry to be kept indoors. The directive, which takes effect Thursday, follows a sharp surge in avian influenza cases threatening farms and wild bird populations alike.

Source:devon

Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss described the move as a difficult but necessary step to contain the outbreak. She said rising infection rates across the country had made it impossible to limit restrictions to a few regions, adding that the housing order now applies to every poultry keeper in England.

Under the new rules, anyone keeping more than 50 birds—or selling or giving away eggs—must keep their flocks indoors to reduce contact with infected wild birds. Authorities are urging farmers to tighten biosecurity and monitor their birds closely for signs of illness.

Despite the mounting infections, officials reassured the public that the risk to humans remains low and that properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to eat. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the action aims to protect both the poultry industry and the food supply chain from further disruption.

Across Europe, health monitors have reported a surge in outbreaks, with 85 cases recorded between August and late October—28 of them in just one week. Six of those incidents occurred in Britain, fueling concerns of a continent-wide resurgence of the virus.

The UK previously imposed culling zones and strict sanitation measures around infected farms earlier this year. With vaccinations still banned except in zoos, authorities are racing to contain the spread before it devastates flocks through the winter season.