Britain’s on a new bird flu red alert after a popular Lancashire seaside beauty spot suffers a suspected outbreak of the deadly avian influenza.
Blackpool Council said several swans had died at the town’s Stanley Park over the last few days and their deaths have been reported to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The council confirmed the wild birds had been displaying symptoms of avian influenza.
The authority said the risk to the general public was very low, but it was “vitally” important visitors kept dogs away from the edge of the lake, and did not touch any injured or dead birds or hand feed birds.
Blackpool Council have said: “Unfortunately a number of dead and unwell swans have been identified at Stanley Park over the last few days.
“As the swans had been displaying symptoms of Avian Influenza, we have reported their sad deaths to DEFRA to carry out tests.
“Although the risk to the health of the general public is very low, it is vitally important visitors to the park follow the guidance that is in place. Keep dogs away from the edge of the lake DO NOT touch any injured or deceased birds.
“Please do not hand feed birds. Our teams will continue to monitor the situation closely”.
The risk to humans remains low, with chicken and eggs safe to eat if properly cooked, according to Defra.
It comes after a bird flu prevention zone enforcing strict hygiene standards around domesticated birds was declared for the whole of England last month amid a rise in cases.
Rules include regularly changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures for keepers with more than 500 birds, as well as cleansing and disinfecting site vehicles.
Meanwhile the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) already in place across East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk – which includes mandatory enhanced biosecurity and housing for kept birds – has now been Shropshire, York and North Yorkshire.
UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: “Given the continued increase in the number of bird flu cases across England, we are taking further action to try and prevent the spread of disease.
“I urge bird keepers to check which requirements apply to them, to continue to exercise robust biosecurity measures, remain alert for any signs of disease, and report suspected disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.”
Poultry farmers have been appealing to the government to let them vaccinate their flocks against the “devastating” bird flu virus spreading across the UK.
Vaccinating poultry against avian influenza is currently not allowed in the UK as the government says strong biosecurity measures and culling are the most effective ways of fighting it.
There are also concerns that poultry vaccinations might even be linked to the virus evolving.
Recent work, by researchers from the UK’s Royal Veterinary College and institutions in China found possible evidence that they may be linked to changes in how the virus evolves.
They carried out genetic analysis of avian flu samples collected from wild birds and farmed poultry between 1996 and 2023.
While they found that infections occurred more often in unvaccinated birds, they also found that in countries with high vaccination rates, there was a higher rate of change in the virus itself.
They said such evolution could, in theory, lead to vaccines needing to be updated frequently to remain effective and to the virus spilling over into unvaccinated populations.
The National Farmers’ Union said it was “essential that Defra refocuses efforts” on coming up with a workable avian influenza vaccination plan for the UK.
Defra says it has set up a cross-government and poultry industry taskforce that is looking at the potential use of vaccines, and is due to publish its report later this year. But poultry farmers say things are moving too slowly.
There have so far been 25 farm outbreaks of bird flu since the annual winter recording season began in October.
In comparison, between October 2021 and January 2022, during the UK’s worst outbreak, there had been more than 70 cases in poultry or other captive birds.
But Gary Ford, of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association, said that there was still “panic, concern and fear out there” among farmers over the virus spreading.
He added that the organisation was a “huge supporter” of vaccination for poultry but recognised there were challenges, including the cost to farmers and the impact on trade with other countries that prohibit imports from producers that vaccinate.
Last week, the government agency that deals with infectious diseases – UKHSA – confirmed a case of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in a farm worker in the West Midlands region, external.
It said bird-to-human transmission of avian influenza was rare and that the risk to the wider public continues to be very low.
Defra said: “Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu) are increasing in both kept poultry and wild birds across multiple areas of Great Britain.
“To prevent further spread of disease, we are extending the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) which is already in place across East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
“The measures imposed in the AIPZ, which include mandatory enhanced biosecurity and housing for kept birds, now includes Shropshire, York and North Yorkshire.
“The rest of England is now under an additional AIPZ mandating enhanced biosecurity but will not enforce mandatory housing. A similar zone is in force in Scotland and will apply in Wales from 30 January 2025.
“These measures will be in place until further notice. They will be kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to monitor and manage the risks of avian influenza.”