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Question from: County Councillor Matthew Dorrance Subject: Avian Influenza cases identified in Powys
Question:
Will the Leader provide a statement on what the Council is doing in response to Avian Influenza cases identified in Powys?
Minutes: Response by the Portfolio Holder:
Avian influenza is a highly infectious viral disease affecting many species of birds. The risk of Avian influenza is greater over the winter months with wild birds migrating to the UK from mainland Europe. Whilst humans and other animals can be infected through close contact with live infected birds the risk to human health is normally negligible.
Public Health Wales Health Protection Team lead on the local public health response working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and local NHS partners and their focus is purely on those who work directly on infected sites whose risk whilst,slightly higher than for the general public is still considered low when appropriate interventions are implemented, such as use of full PPE and antiviral prophylaxis.
Following confirmation by the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales of confirmed Avian Influenza A(H5N1) in Wales an all-Wales Avian Influenza Prevention Zone came into force on 3 November 2021 introducing a range of biosecurity measures which was then extended on the 29 November 2021 making it mandatory to house birds or keep them separated from wild birds.
Cases of confirmed Avian Influenza are listed on the Welsh Government webpage Avian influenza (bird flu): latest update | GOV.WALES identifying the Declaration made by the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales of the Protection Zones (3km radius) and Surveillance Zones(10km radius) which are put in place around the site Prescriptive measures and restrictions are required within these zones to prevent the spread.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) take primary responsibility for the management of outbreaks visiting infected premises, suspect premises, and direct contact premises in line with the Notifiable Avian Diseases Control Strategy for Great Britain. They also take the lead in terms of any communications plans.
Once a case has been confirmed the Local Authority Animal Health Team in Trading Standards are notified and invited into daily National APHA planning meetings.
The Trading Standards Animal Health team have an Exotic Notifiable Animal Diseases Contingency Plan, developed by the National Animal Health and Welfare Panel and the Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers (ACTSO) and adopted locally which they refer to and follow in terms of their actions and responses in such instances.
The principal local authority roles from an Animal Health perspective include the following:
· Assisting APHA with foot patrols to identify and maintain a list of poultry keepers. · Providing advice and where necessary enforcement of movement restrictions, biosecurity controls and potential housing of domestic poultry rules. · Enforcement of controls on restricted meat and where necessary designation of treatment centres. · Assistance to APHA on identifying and maintaining a list of poultry keepers. · Assistance with signage if required for roads, footpaths etc. · Assistance with seeking the local infrastructure to support the APHA team on the ground.
APHA provide mapping of properties in a grid form which is shared with our Animal Health team who then assist APHA by carrying out foot patrols. Each property within the 3km protection zone is visited ... view the full minutes text for item 1. |