Disease control and outbreaks
Exotic Notifiable Diseases of Animals in England
The legal responsibilities livestock keepers have if they suspect disease in their animals (summary)
This publication summarises points from the Contingency Plan for Exotic Notifiable Diseases of Animals in England. It explains how animal keepers can help prevent diseases in animals, what they must do if they suspect disease and how the government responds to disease.
Bluetongue
The bluetongue restricted zone now covers Bedfordshire, Berkshire (part), Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, City of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Sussex, Essex, Greater London, Hampshire (part), Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Leicestershire (part), Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire (part), Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire (part) and West Sussex.
Please refer to the Defra website for the most up to date position, current controls and guidance for industry, where you can opt to receive email alerts about any updates to the content:
Bluetongue: news, information and guidance for livestock keepers (GOV.UK)
What is Bluetongue?
- Bluetongue is a notifiable disease and suspicion must be reported to APHA.
- It is a viral disease, which affects ruminants (such as sheep, cattle, goats and deer) and camelids (llamas and alpacas). It does not affect horses or pigs.
- Clinical signs vary across susceptible species, but include fever, lesions, redness of the mouth, eyes, nose, reddening of the skin above the hoof, excessive salivation and nasal discharge. Some animals may show few or no clinical signs.
- BTV is mainly spread by adult-infected midges biting an animal susceptible to the disease. This is classed as ‘vector-borne’ transmission.
- Infected midges can spread locally and more widely in certain temperatures and wind conditions.
- APHA Bluetongue interactive disease map
Bluetongue does not affect humans.
Information and guidance for the farming industry
- Bluetongue is a notifiable animal disease. If suspected, farmers must report it immediately on 03000 200 301 (England) and 0300 303 8268 (Wales).
- BTV hotline - 024 7771 0386.
- Government guidance on preventing and stopping the spread of Bluetongue.
- For further practical and up to date information for farmers, visit Ruminant Health & Welfare and the NFU website.
- Information about BTV3 vaccination.
Avian Influenza (bird flu)
- Check what zone you’re in on the bird flu disease zone map - by law, you must follow the rules for the zone that you’re in.
- Details of bird flu zone rules
- Find out how and why the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) monitors avian influenza virus infection in wild birds and wild mammals
Reporting dead wild birds
- The APHA carries out year-round surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols as part of its wild bird surveillance programme.
- In Great Britain members of the public are encouraged to report findings of dead wild birds using the online reporting system or by calling the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77).
- APHA and their contractors then collect some of these birds and test them to understand what the risk posed to poultry and other captive birds. They do this though understanding how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of wild bird. Not all birds will be collected.
- Find out more on disposing of dead wild birds not required for surveillance.
GB Avian Influenza wildlife interactive map & data dashboard
- Explore results from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) avian influenza in wildlife surveillance programme in Great Britain - interactive map of reported wild bird mortality and findings of avian influenza virus (bird flu) in wild birds and wild mammals.
- Interactive data dashboard of findings of avian influenza virus in wild birds. If you have reported a dead wild bird online or via the helpline (03459 33 55 77), check the status of your wild bird report by entering the location of your report or your Defra reference number (prefixed by WSF- or REP-) in the maps search box.
Reporting suspicion of influenza of avian origin in wild mammals
- Avian influenza (bird flu) viruses can also infect mammals
- Find out how the APHA monitor spill over of avian influenza virus from wild birds to wild mammals on GOV.UK.
- If members of the public find a dead wild carnivore (e.g. fox, otter, pine marten, stoat, weasel, pole cat, mink) or marine mammal (e.g. seal, dolphin, porpoise, whale) where the cause of death is unknown, or the animal has shown signs of respiratory or neurological disease prior to death they should report it immediately to APHA by calling: 03000 200 301 (if you’re in England).
Animal diseases
Non-seasonal or zoonotic influenza viruses
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of influenza A(H1N2)v. Influenza A(H1N2)v is similar to flu viruses currently circulating in pigs in the UK. More information in available via the GOV.UK website.
There is also advice for people with respiratory symptoms.
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