Second case of bird flu found near Attleborough, Norfolk

Avian flu is highly infectious in birds but does not affect humans

A further case of bird flu has been found in Norfolk.

The second case near Attleborough comes after the county, along with Suffolk and parts of Essex, were made subject to avian flu restrictions on Tuesday.

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been put in place by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to try to limit infections.

It means bird owners have to follow strict biosecurity rules.

Cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 have been found in poultry, and wild and captive birds.

Incidents were confirmed earlier this week near Hadleigh and Honington in Suffolk, and Northwold in Norfolk.

The week before that, there were separate outbreaks at Honington and Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, and another near Attleborough.

Protection zones of 3km and surveillance zones of 10km remained in place at those sites, as well as in Clacton and Heybridge in Essex.

The AIPZ covers all of Norfolk and Suffolk and nine of the more easterly districts in Essex

The H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus is highly contagious among birds, and spread by close contact with an infected bird, whether it is dead or alive.

Defra said the UK Health Security Agency advised "the risk to public health from the virus is very low".

Avian flu restrictions put in last month for all of Devon and Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of Somerset were still in place.