Residents in Hucknall and across Nottinghamshire are being urged not to interact with wild birds after a confirmed case of avian flu at Newstead Abbey.

Local businesses, schools, and residents in possession of poultry and captive birds are being asked to keep them indoors where possible to reduce the risk of avian influenza.

Wild birds migrating to the UK from mainland Europe during the winter months and other wildlife spread the disease, so it is vital not to allow wild birds to mix with chickens, ducks, geese, or other birds.

Public health advice remains that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenza poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. There is no impact on the consumption of properly cooked poultry products including eggs.

Newstead Abbey, former home of Lord Byron, which is just over five miles from Hucknall, currently has positive cases of bird flu on site in wild birds.

Residents and visitors are advised not to feed wild birds and not to touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that they find. Dog owners are also advised to keep their pets on a lead and take reasonable precautions to reduce exposure to wild waterfowl to minimise the risk of transferring the virus into bird keeping areas.

If anyone finds dead swans, geese, or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, they should report them to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

To limit the spread of disease, the Government introduced housing measures in November which means that all bird keepers (whether it is someone who has pet birds or a few chickens, ducks or geese in the back yard to holders of commercial flocks) are legally required to keep them housed and to follow strict biosecurity measures. If strict biosecurity measures are maintained by poultry keepers, the risk of an outbreak of the disease would be low at their premises.

The housing measures will be kept under regular review as part of the government's work to protect flocks.

Although the risk to human health from the virus is very low, people can catch bird flu via direct contact with a living or dead bird carrying the virus or via direct contact with bird faeces from a bird carrying the virus. Humans cannot catch bird flu via airborne particles.

Avian influenza is in no way connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is not carried in poultry or captive birds.

Bird keepers should report suspicion of disease in England to Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. Keepers should familiarise themselves with avian flu advice which can be found here.

To register poultry, click here.