{"id":24550,"date":"2025-03-24T13:57:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T14:57:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=24550"},"modified":"2025-03-24T17:41:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T17:41:15","slug":"first-case-of-bird-flu-in-sheep-found-on-uk-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=24550","title":{"rendered":"First case of bird flu in sheep found on UK farm"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new\" class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-0 haItSe\">\n<div class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-1 cjDa-dM\">3 hours ago<\/p>\n<p><!--$!--><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 oYtVL dRvUPz dXDmtS\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 iQJDhl cCYQUA kItbpD\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Save<\/span><\/button><!--\/$--><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors\" class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-12 fcCDwR\">\n<div class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-5 evAEAB\">\n<div><span class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-7 kItaYD\">Steve Jones<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>BBC News, Yorkshire<!-- --><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--$!--><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 oYtVL dRvUPz dXDmtS\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 iQJDhl cCYQUA kItbpD\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Save<\/span><\/button><!--\/$--><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 ejjhCR\">\n<div data-testid=\"hero-image\" class=\"sc-a34861b-1 jxzoZC\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/a2fff1f0-0894-11f0-a222-8f05490c3ad5.jpg.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Getty Images Two sheep grazing on a hay barrel in a field. Stock photo.\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 efFcac\" \/><span class=\"sc-a34861b-2 hesJxn\">Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The world&#8217;s<!-- --><b id class=\"sc-7dcfb11b-0 kVRnKf\"> <!-- --><\/b>first case of bird flu in sheep has been found in the UK, the nation&#8217;s chief veterinary officer has confirmed.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The exact location of the farm has not been revealed, but a government spokesperson said the case was identified on a site in Yorkshire where bird flu had been confirmed in captive birds.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The spokesperson said the single infected sheep had been &#8220;humanely culled&#8221; and no further cases among the flock were found after &#8220;extensive testing&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;There is no evidence to suggest an increased risk to the nation&#8217;s livestock population,&#8221; they added.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Christine Middlemiss, the UK&#8217;s chief veterinary officer, said &#8220;strict&#8221; measures had been put in place to prevent the further spread of the disease.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">She added: &#8220;While the risk to livestock remains low, I urge all animal owners to ensure scrupulous cleanliness is in place and to report any signs of infection to the Animal Plant Health Agency immediately.&#8221;<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"sc-518485e5-0 DkKTF\">&#8216;Risk very low&#8217;<!-- --><\/h2>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Bird flu, also known as avian influenza or H5N1, is a disease caused by a virus that infects birds and sometimes other animals.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">A government spokesperson said there had been a &#8220;small number&#8221; of cases of bird flu in humans in the UK since 2021.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">All bar one had been asymptomatic, although they warned the infection &#8220;can be serious&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The infections were detected in people who had &#8220;close and prolonged contact with a large number of infected birds&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The spokesperson said the disease continued to infect new mammals and spread between them, &#8220;increasing the opportunities the virus has to evolve&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;The concern is that these changes in the virus may at some point allow it to spread readily between people.&#8221;<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Dr Meera Chand, emerging infection lead at the UK Health Security Agency, said current evidence &#8220;suggests that the avian influenza viruses we&#8217;re seeing circulating around the world do not spread easily to people&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Dr Chand added: &#8220;The risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low.&#8221;<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said <!-- --><a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c391mpmr81xo\" class=\"sc-c9299ecf-0 beIoQm\">1.78 million farmed and captive birds had been culled<!-- --><\/a> between November and February due to the spread of the disease across the UK.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">A government spokesperson said the infected sheep was a female who had been showing signs of mastitis, an inflammation of the udder tissue.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The lambs of the affected ewe tested negative for bird flu, the spokesperson added.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">While this is the first time this virus has been reported in a sheep anywhere in the world, bird flu has previously been detected in livestock in other countries, according to Defra.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">According to the American public health agency the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases have previously been found in the US in dairy cows.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 jFCfG\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-a34861b-1 jxzoZC\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 cOpVbP hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/dcbc6ff0-089d-11f0-a222-8f05490c3ad5.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Getty Images A flock of sheep roaming on a patch of grass with ducks in a nearby river.\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 efFcac\" \/><span class=\"sc-a34861b-2 hesJxn\">Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The National Sheep Association (NSA), which represents the views and interests of sheep producers in the UK, said mixing different animals was &#8220;questionable at the best of times, but should be avoided when England is undergoing a period of mandatory housing measures for poultry due to bird flu outbreaks&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The Yorkshire farm where the case was found was a smallholding where sheep and poultry were being kept together, a spokesperson added.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said the positive case was &#8220;not a threat to food safety of consumers&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">National Farmers&#8217; Union president Tom Bradshaw said: &#8220;Farmers are understandably concerned that avian influenza has been found in a sheep.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;This remains a single case within what is understood to be a backyard flock, and no other infection has been found amongst the remaining sheep.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;Commercial producers continue to do all they can to protect their animals by following strict biosecurity measures.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;While the risk to the nation&#8217;s livestock population remains low, it&#8217;s vital that all keepers of domesticated poultry, cattle, sheep and goats maintain high standards of biosecurity and remain vigilant for any signs of disease.&#8221;<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Defra has placed England in an &#8220;avian influenza protection zone&#8221; to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Thirteen regions have also seen mandatory housing measures introduced, which state that birds must be kept inside.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">They are Cheshire, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, Herefordshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Shropshire, Suffolk, Worcestershire, and York.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The Food Standards Agency said properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, remained safe to eat.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 jVHuOl\">\n<div class=\"sc-93223220-0 sc-46222299-0 ctbOlq hmFIuq\"><span data-testid=\"links-title\" class=\"sc-46222299-2 gdGcRT\">More on this story<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>3 hours ago<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24550"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24555,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24550\/revisions\/24555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}