A THIRD OUTBREAK of bird flu on a commercial turkey farm in less than a week has this evening been confirmed in Co Monaghan.

Last Tuesday, it was confirmed by the Department of Agriculture that a bird flu outbreak was confirmed on a commercial turkey farm in Co Carlow.

The following day, another outbreak was then confirmed on a turkey farm in Kells, Co Meath.

It is understood that around 3,000 poultry were culled following the outbreak in Co Carlow and that that outbreak in Co Meath impacted upon a larger operation.

This evening, Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon confirmed a further outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain in a commercial turkey flock near Clontibret, Co. Monaghan.

Restriction zones have been established around the affected holding, consisting of a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone.

This development follows the implementation of a mandatory housing order for all poultry and captive birds, which took effect overnight.

These regulations, which impact all bird owners, also includes a ban on gatherings of birds from different premises to protect the birds from the risk of infection, such as shows, fairs, and sales. 

Minister Heydon said this third outbreak “underlines the ongoing risk to poultry and captive birds of avian influenza”.

He added that the virus is circulating in wild birds across the country and that the compulsory housing order will help to mitigate the risk.

So far this year, more than 40 wild birds have been infected, including 12 at Fota Wildlife Park in Co Cork which prompted the attraction to close temporarily.

Heydon added that “strict and meticulous attention to biosecurity by all those who keep poultry or captive birds is the best way to protect our flocks from further outbreaks”.

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He also expressed his “sympathies to the flock owners who have been affected by these outbreaks” and thanked poultry keepers nationally for their “continued cooperation and strong commitment to maintaining the highest standards of biosecurity”.

The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSE-HPSC) advises that the risk to public health from the strain of bird flu that is circulating is very low.

Members of the public are advised, as always, not to handle sick or dead wild birds and to report sick or dead wild birds to the Department’s avian check app (AvianCheck).

Bird flu is also impacting the North.

A compulsory housing order came in last week and it’s understood thousands of birds have been culled in Co Fermanagh and Co Tyrone.