Irish farmers told to house flocks due to bird flu

Poultry farmers in the Republic of Ireland have been ordered to keep their flocks indoors amid outbreaks of bird flu.

The latest case of bird flu was confirmed in a dead swan in County Cavan.

The order follows a similar move in England with both set to take effect from Monday.

Farmers are being urged to maintain strict biosecurity measures around their flocks.

There have been detections of avian flu across the island of Ireland in recent months.

An outbreak of H5NI avian flu was confirmed in a captive flock in County Wicklow in late August, the second confirmed outbreak in the region in a matter of days, reports Irish national broadcaster RTÉ.

The most recent case in Northern Ireland was found in captive birds at the Castle Espie Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre in County Down.

The Irish agriculture department said there was no evidence that there was a risk to the public associated with eating properly prepared and cooked poultry products.

Authorities said the risk of infection in humans was very low.

The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said it would not be implementing a housing order due to lower rates of infection.

A spokesperson said there had been a only one avian influenza detection in captive birds this season and a "relatively small number" of positive wild birds.

However, Northern Ireland remains under bird flu prevention zone restriction.

The public is being urged not to handle dead or wild birds and report sick or dead wild birds to the relevant authorities.