Animal Disease

If you are worried about the stories in the international media regarding cases of so-called "Swine Flu" in Mexico and the United States, please see the following links for further information:

 

The Health Protection Agency for advice and information on the current outbreak

 

The Department of Health for national advice on pandemic flu planning

 

Warwickshire County Council for information on pandemic flu planning in Warwickshire

 

The Health and Safety Executive for guidance and advice for employers

 

 

 

 

As from 17 October 2007 the Foot and Mouth rules were relaxed and Warwickshire is now in the 'FMD Free Area' which means Warwickshire livestock farmers can assume business as usual (apart from the Bluetongue restrictions) under The Disease Control Order 2003 as was the case before the Foot and Mouth outbreak. The FMD risk area has now been reduced in size. A small part of the south eastern corner of Oxfordshire (the only neighbouring county to which this applies), is still in this area. In the latter movements are still controlled and there are still restrictions on exports of meat from our area.

 

 

For further information see the DEFRA website.

 

 

 

 

Defra confirmed on 28 September 2008 that Bluetongue disease is circulating between the local animal and midge population in East Anglia. The announcement followed epidemiological investigation of several cases of the disease and took account of surveillance results. The first case was detected on 22 September 2008.

 

Following additional cases of Blue Tongue within the existing protection areas, the protection boundary was extended to cover the whole of Warwickshire.

 

For further information see the DEFRA website.

 

 

 

 

Avian influenza has dominated the headlines in 2008 due to the spread of the H5N1 virus between both wild and domestic birds across South East Asia, Russia and parts of Europe.  There is global concern that the current strain of the disease could mutate into a form that could become highly contagious and lead to a human pandemic, however the risk of this is currently low.

 

On 3 June 2008, Defra confirmed Avian Influenza in chickens on a premises near Banbury in Oxfordshire after preliminary tests were positive for the H7 strain.  The Protection Zone was lifted on 29 June 2008 ,the Surveillance Zone and remaining disease control area restrictions put in place following the outbreak of H7N7 avian influenza in Oxfordshire were lifted on 8 July 2008.

 

For further information see the DEFRA website.