My Department works closely with the Local Authority Coordination of Regulatory Services (LACORS), the State Veterinary Service (SVS) and other operational partners to ensure effective preparedness for an outbreak of avian influenza.
Local authorities (both trading standards and emergency planners) have close working relationships with LACORS and their local SVS offices on an ongoing basis, which provide mutual support and guidance where required.
Local authorities regularly participate in animal disease contingency exercises led by the SVS, and LACORS provides guidance on its website including a local authority contingency plan template as well as extensive guidance on responsibilities during an outbreak.
In addition, a range of guidance on preventative measures has been made available to local authorities, from DEFRA, including guidance on the national poultry register, biosecurity, bird gatherings and other relevant guidance.
These relationships have worked extremely well since the confirmed case of H5N1 near Lowestoft in Suffolk, and have ensured that local authorities’ needs are recognised at national level.
DEFRA routinely liaises closely with the European Commission and other member states through meetings of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) and the Chief Veterinary Officers’ Working Group. Officials also communicate regularly through facsimiles, e-mails and telephone conversations.
At a meeting of SCoFCAH on 6 February, the Commission supported the timely action that DEFRA has taken in relation to the recent outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in Suffolk. SCoFCAH also enabled the export of poultry and poultry products from outside the restricted zone to other member states to continue as normal.
DEFRA is liaising closely with third world countries and is keeping them informed of the current situation. In addition, my Department has also provided all countries with details of the recent outbreak through the OIE (International Animal Health Organisation) notification system and the Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS).
The UK does not accept uncooked meat or live birds from areas where H5N1 has been reported.
We do not routinely screen all products imported into the UK for any disease. In the case of H5N1, it would not be practicable or proportionate to do so.
Veterinary checks are carried out on imported animals and animal products from approved establishments in approved countries outside the EU, to ensure that they meet the strict EU veterinary import conditions and do not pose a risk to public or animal health. All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks. At least 50 per cent. of poultry meat consignments undergo physical checks, as do all consignments of live birds. These must come with an official health certificate guaranteeing compliance with EU rules and freedom from disease.
The State Veterinary Service carries out checks of live animals at Border Inspection Points (BIP). Checks on meat products are carried out by local authorities. Consignments which do not comply with EU import conditions are either re-exported outside the EU or destroyed.
If there is an outbreak of disease likely to present a risk to human or animal health, EU legislation permits us to take appropriate safeguard action, which may include a ban on imports of meat from all, or parts, of an affected country. Should such an outbreak occur within another EU member state, EU law compels the authorities to introduce measures to protect animal health including movement bans and protection and surveillance zones.
In addition, all frontline HMRC detection staff include products of animal origin (POAO) as part of their anti-smuggling responsibilities. Within these resources there are also dedicated teams deployed (currently totalling around 100 officers) with prime responsibility for detecting illegal POAO imports. HMRC controls are carried out on the basis of risk assessments and other intelligence, so that the routes considered to pose the greatest disease risk are targeted . HMRC’s activities are supported by the use of detector dogs and baggage X-ray scanning equipment.
As part of our investigation into this outbreak we have been assessing the risk of onward spread of disease.
Movements of anything that may have spread disease onto or away from the infected premises (IP) have been traced to identify ‘at risk’ premises. An investigation is carried out on these premises to establish whether disease is present.
Within the surveillance zone (SZ) and protection zone (PZ) we have been assessing whether there has been any spread of disease to other poultry premises. This surveillance started within the PZ initially and is now moving out into the SZ (as risk reduces with distance from the IP). Poultry are undergoing clinical surveillances and waterfowl are being sampled for laboratory screening.
Our investigations have not yet revealed any evidence of spread from the IP to other domestic flocks.
Elsewhere in the country, we will continue to pursue our existing wild bird surveillance programme on live and dead wild birds which is targeted to those areas likely to be at greatest risk, including the restriction zone in Norfolk and Suffolk.
(2) how many and what percentage of people in the United Kingdom could be vaccinated against avian influenza with the stock his Department holds.
DEFRA does not hold information on human vaccination. This is a matter for the Department of Health.
DEFRA a is liaising closely with interested parties to identify key export markets for poultry. We work closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK Trade and Investment overseas posts to try to keep export markets open by providing information and reassurance about the avian influenza situation in the UK. Where necessary, DEFRA negotiates with the veterinary authorities of importing countries to get import bans lifted and/or to agree revised export health certification.
(2) what advice he plans to provide to people within a future quarantine danger zone in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza.
DEFRA has conducted a range of communications activities for poultry keepers, industry personnel, vets, local residents and the general public. Some messages have been targeted within the protection and surveillance zones, but others have been sent to poultry keepers across Britain.
Messages have kept recipients up-to-date with the latest developments and have given information on human health, biosecurity, movement restrictions, pets, wild birds surveillance, eating poultry and countryside access. Methods of communication have included conferences, teleconferences, text messages, press notices, information packs (door drops), emails and letters (including a mailout to all Suffolk residents).
In addition, the latest information is available from the DEFRA website and the DEFRA Helpline.
My Department keeps its emergency communications strategy under review.
The law on this is clear. A notifiable disease (such as avian influenza) is a disease named in section 88 of the Animal Health Act 1981 or an order made under that Act. Section 15(1) of the Act says that:
“any person having in their possession or under their charge an animal affected or suspected of having one of these diseases must, with all practicable speed, notify that fact to a police constable.”
In practice, if someone suspects signs of a notifiable disease, they must immediately notify a DEFRA Divisional Veterinary Manager.
DEFRA has issued extensive guidance to bird keepers on biosecurity measures. The guidance, available on the DEFRA website, applies to everyone who enters a farm or premises with farm animals, or enters land used for grazing or keeping farm animals.
It deals with the precautions to be taken when entering or leaving any premises with farm animals:
i. in the absence of an outbreak of exotic notifiable disease;
ii. after confirmation of an outbreak of exotic notifiable disease;
iii. and to premises under specific animal disease restrictions.
The guidance applies generally to all premises with farm animals and to all exotic diseases. When followed, it should help reduce the spread of animal diseases to other premises with farm animals. It is not intended to interfere with sensible public access to land and enjoyment of the countryside.
Information and guidance on avoiding risk of zoonotic infections when working with poultry that is suspected of having highly pathogenic avian influenza has been produced by DEFRA and industry through the Government and industry working group. It is available on the Health and Safety Executive and DEFRA websites. This information and guidance is being followed in the current outbreak.
In addition, my Department is working in conjunction with the Health Protection Unit who are fully engaged with human health risk assessments for State Veterinary Service staff, farm workers and those involved in the control operation. As a precautionary measure, those involved in the control of the avian influenza outbreak in Suffolk have been offered the appropriate preventive treatment with antiviral drugs (oseltamivir), seasonal flu vaccine and avian influenza personnel protective equipment in line with established protocols.
DEFRA is assisting the Department of Health in offering free flu vaccination during this winter's flu season to those who work in close contact with poultry as a precautionary public health measure. Immunising poultry workers with seasonal flu vaccine to prevent the potential re-assortment of a bird flu virus was one of the public health measures set out in the UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan.
Targeted surveillance for high pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza and other avian influenza viruses in wild birds is in place throughout the UK and is ongoing. The targeted surveillance focuses on species of wild birds that experts believe to have a greater potential role in the spread of avian influenza viruses. There is a comprehensive list which generally includes ducks, geese, swans, gulls and waders. Sampling is targeted to high priority surveillance areas; these have been chosen on the basis of abundance of migratory waterbird species and domestic poultry. Members of the public can report dead swans, ducks, geese, waders and gulls by calling the DEFRA Helpline 08459 33 55 77.
Within the area around the infected premises in Suffolk, there will be enhanced levels of surveillance of wild birds. We are aware of 30 key waterbird locations in Suffolk (such as estuaries and marshes). 12 of these locations are within 20 kilometres of the infected premises of which 10 are patrolled regularly as part of the programme. Within the protection, surveillance and restricted zones we are requiring keepers to house their birds or otherwise separate them from contact with wild birds.
DEFRA has also issued extensive guidance to bird keepers on biosecurity measures to protect their birds from avian influenza, which is available on the DEFRA website. It is crucial that keepers follow these measures.
A total of 25 vehicles were used to transport culled birds from Suffolk to the rendering plant in Staffordshire. The trailers used were specialist, purpose built bulkers designed to transport animal by-products.