England has moved to a national bird-housing order as H5N1 spreads. From 00:01 on 6 November 2025, keepers with more than 50 birds - and smaller flocks that sell eggs or live birds - must house them under the Great Britain Avian Influenza Prevention Zone, alongside tougher biosecurity.

As of Sunday 9 November 2025, officials report 36 confirmed HPAI H5N1 cases this season: 28 in England, five in Wales and three in Northern Ireland, with none in Scotland. Under World Organisation for Animal Health rules, the UK is not currently classed as free from HPAI.

New confirmations arrived over the past three days. A commercial poultry case near Welshpool, Powys, on 9 November triggered 3km and 10km zones that extend into England. A further case was confirmed near Hallow, Worcestershire, on 8 November, and four large commercial premises in Norfolk, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire were added on 7 November. Standard zones are in place and affected birds will be humanely culled.

For keepers, the order comes with clear actions: store feed and bedding indoors, disinfect boots, clothing and equipment before and after contact with birds, limit movements on and off the premises, step up vermin control, maintain effective footbaths and discourage wild birds from entering sheds.

Risk varies by practice, not luck. APHA assesses infection in wild birds as very high, and exposure risk for kept birds ranges from high under weak biosecurity to low when strict measures are followed consistently. Daily footbaths, clean housing and visitor records reduce exposure.

Public health advice remains steady. UKHSA states the risk to the general public is very low, and the Food Standards Agency says properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to eat.

Nature reserves and coastal sites have guidance to lean on. The England–Wales mitigation strategy sets out practical steps to reduce impacts on wild bird populations while protecting people and the rural economy, including sensible signage and targeted carcass handling only where evidence supports it.

Households can help too. The British Trust for Ornithology recommends cleaning feeders with soapy water about weekly, rotating feeder positions and refreshing water daily to limit disease transmission among garden birds.

Use the data before you act. Defra’s interactive map and APHA dashboards show current disease control zones and wild-bird findings; check your postcode before moving birds or planning shoots, and apply for movement licences where required.

Mammals are part of surveillance. Influenza of avian origin is notifiable in wild and kept mammals; vets and laboratories must report suspected infection or any detection of influenza A virus or antibodies to APHA immediately.

If you keep birds, review ventilation, stocking density and cleaning routines this week, and brief anyone entering the yard on movement rules. Report signs of disease in kept birds promptly and do not handle dead wild birds - use the official reporting routes instead.

Eco Current will keep tracking daily case updates and APHA risk assessments through winter. For now, disciplined biosecurity and smart use of official maps and dashboards give keepers and wildlife managers the best chance to protect birds.