Poultry keepers in England and Scotland face renewed indoor housing requirements as authorities respond to a rising risk of highly pathogenic bird flu, The Guardian reported on Wednesday.

The British government has declared an avian influenza prevention zone across England, requiring anyone keeping 50 or more poultry or captive birds to house them indoors. Scotland introduced a similar designation across the country on Tuesday. It is the second consecutive year that indoor restrictions have been imposed.

Birdkeepers must also follow enhanced biosecurity measures. These include reporting changes in egg production and immediately notifying the Animal and Plant Health Agency of suspected disease.

The government said the declaration followed an increased risk and an escalating number of confirmed infections among both kept and wild birds. A prevention zone was also declared across England, Scotland and Wales in 2025.

Despite the renewed restrictions, the government said the current risk to human health remained very low. It also said it did not anticipate any effect on the availability of Christmas turkeys or other seasonal poultry for consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, remain safe to eat, according to food-safety advice cited by The Guardian.

The disease has spread rapidly since 2014 and has devastated wild bird populations in the United Kingdom since the summer of 2021. Its reach has extended to an unusually broad range of species worldwide, including southern elephant seals.

Human infections have also been recorded. The Guardian reported 11 deaths globally between Jan. 1 and Aug. 4, 2025. The strain can cause flu-like symptoms and conjunctivitis in people who have close contact with infected animals, while causing illness and high death rates in birds.

UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss acknowledged the consequences for birdkeepers and thanked the poultry industry for its continued cooperation.

“Having avian influenza confirmed in your flock can be devastating,” she said. “I understand the impact this disease can have on the poultry sector.”

Sources