The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has today announced that it has confirmed avian influenza (bird flu) subtype H5N8 in a wild bird in Co. Wexford.
The wild duck – a wigeon – was found alive but unable to fly in Wexford Town on December 28, according to the Department.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has confirmed that although the H5N8 subtype can cause serious disease in poultry and other birds, no human infections with this virus have been reported world-wide and therefore risk to humans is considered to be very low.
A statement from the Department said that the finding is not unexpected given the detection of highly pathogenic H5N8 in wild birds in Britain in the last two weeks, and comes one week after the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, introduced regulations under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 requiring the compulsory housing of poultry as a result of the increased threat.
The results of these tests will not be available until the middle of next week.
The Department reiterates that strict bio-security measures are necessary to prevent the introduction of avian influenza into poultry and captive bird flocks.
Flock owners are being advised to remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their flocks, and report any disease suspicion to their nearest Department Veterinary Office.
Further information on avian influenza can be found on the Department’s website. Meanwhile, advice on handling dead wild birds can be found here.