A lockdown for anything with feathers - why bird flu epidemic is different this time

It's the equivalent of lockdown for thing with feathers.

As of Monday 7 November, each kept birds - whether they are ample free-range flocks oregon hobby racing pigeons - will person to beryllium kept indoors oregon successful covered outdoor cages.

Biosecurity measures similar disinfecting vehicles, instrumentality and boots are required arsenic good arsenic bans connected the question of unrecorded birds.

Extreme measures for an utmost situation.

Europe is successful the grips of a bird flu epidemic caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus.

It is highly infectious and causes accelerated unwellness and decease successful commercialized flocks of chickens ducks, turkeys and geese.

England has had occasional outbreaks of H5N1 since the microorganism archetypal began spreading from China wherever it originated successful 1996.

The microorganism besides caused sporadic outbreaks successful chaotic birds, peculiarly wildfowl similar ducks geese and swans. Culling of infected flocks and curbs connected the question of birds kept outbreaks constricted successful scope.

But this twelvemonth it has been different.

H5N1 spent the summertime causing continued outbreaks successful chaotic birds with wide die-offs successful seabirds and migratory wildfowl crossed overmuch of the bluish hemisphere.

It is believed the hundreds of outbreaks connected poultry farms this twelvemonth person been linked to dispersed from chaotic birds into farms.

What's changed?

Researchers studying the genetics of the microorganism judge it has adapted successful immoderate way, allowing it to beryllium arsenic well-suited to infecting chaotic birds arsenic it is farmed poultry.

If that concern continues, the interest is vertebrate flu becomes endemic successful Europe, if it isn't already. As good arsenic ongoing outbreaks connected farms, migratory birds arriving successful the UK this autumn are dying successful unprecedented numbers infected with H5N1.

A existent vexation for conservationists is the content that chaotic birds are being "blamed" for the existent situation.

However determination is bully grounds crowded, intensively farmed poultry flocks gave vertebrate flu the accidental to germinate into highly infectious strains that are present decimating wildlife.

Whichever is the case, thing volition person to beryllium done to interruption the vicious rhythm of corruption betwixt chaotic birds and home ones.

The champion instrumentality would beryllium vertebrate flu jabs for farmed poultry. Several person been trialled connected birds, and much waiting to beryllium tested.

However, existent commercialized rules prohibit the usage of vertebrate flu vaccines. The interest being they could let definite exporters to beryllium much lax successful biosecurity measures starring to the dispersed of different diseases.

The existent epidemic whitethorn unit a rethink.