Controlled zone imposed after bird flu case in Kent

Defra has imposed biosecurity measures for owners of poultry and captive birds who live within the 3km controlled zone of Newington in Swale

A protection zone has been put in place following a case of "highly pathogenic" bird flu in Kent.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the (HPAI) H5N1 virus had been confirmed at a property near Newington, Swale.

A 3km (1.86 mile) protection zone has been put in place around the premises as part of a series of biosecurity measures.

The measures include residents within the controlled zone keeping records of poultry or other captive birds at their property.

The department added details of visitors must be recorded, unless the visit is only to a part of the premises where people live and no poultry or other captive birds are kept.

Traders of poultry or poultry eggs are ordered to make a record of transportation, including date of travel, destination, the origin of the products and buyer of the products.

Defra has also ordered "no person shall permit any poultry or other captive birds to be collected together at any fair, market, show, exhibition or other gathering in the zone".

Owners are ordered to house captive birds or poultry or keep them isolated - but only on the basis housing the birds would be "impractical or would adversely affect the birds' welfare to a significant degree".

Other cases in England

Defra has recorded other detections of bird flu, including a case recorded in a commercial property near Lakenheath, Suffolk on Sunday.

Two cases were recorded in a property near Bedale in Yorkshire, and a property near Penrith in Cumbria on Sunday.

Another case was detected in a premises near Wetheral, Cumbria, on Monday, however, Defra confirmed the 3km protection "has ended and the area that formed it becomes part of the surveillance zone".