Bird flu confirmed in Shropshire: Where is the 'protection zone', what are the rules and what has the Government said?
Bird flu has been confirmed in commercial poultry at a premises in Shropshire, prompting a 3km 'protection zone' to be announced.
All poultry on the affected premises near Wem will be humanely culled after the H5N1 strain of the disease was detected.
It brings the number of confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during the current outbreak in England to 19 - but it is the first in the region.
A 'protection zone' with a 3km radius has been established near Wem, surrounded by a 10km 'surveillance zone' extending into Wales.
Within the protection zone, anyone who keeps poultry or other birds must: take biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of disease spreadng; make records of people and poultry entering their premises as well as the movement of any eggs; ensure birds are housed or kept isolated and not removed from the premises unless authorised by a veterinary inspector; not dispose of any carcasses without authorisation; and clean and disinfect vehicles to transport birds, meat, feed, manure slurry or any other potentialy contaminant.
Premises within the surveillance zone must also record the movement of people, animals and material.
Read the full list of rules here.
Farmers can check what zone they are in on the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs's (DEFRA) interactive map.
