Foot & Mouth Disease
As from 17 October 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 Warwickshire County Council or DEFRA websites.
Blue Tongue Disease
Defra confirmed on 28 September 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.
Following recent 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 Warwickshire County Council or DEFRA website.
Bird Flu
Avian influenza has dominated the headlines recently 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, Defra confirmed Avian Influenza in chickens on a premises near Banbury in Oxfordshire after preliminary tests were positive for the H7 strain. Investigations are ongoing. A Temporary Control Zone is in place and bird gatherings and movement restrictions apply in the zone. The 10km surveillance zone includes areas in Warwickshire.
For further information see the Warwickshire County Council or DEFRA website.
