Declarations

01 April 2025

Following the conclusion of veterinary surveillance activities, the Surveillance Zones (SZs) put in place following confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in commercial poultry premises near Pomeroy and Cookstown, Co Tyrone on 28 February 2025, will be lifted.

This is effective from 12:00 on Tuesday 01 April 2025.

Please remember that an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) including a housing order and ban on gatherings is still in place across the whole of Northern Ireland.

A copy of the AIPZ Declaration effective from Monday 17 February 2025 and a Q&A can be accessed here.

26 March 2025

Following the conclusion of veterinary surveillance activities, the Surveillance Zone (SZ) put in place following confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in a commercial poultry premises near Dungannon, Co Tyrone on 20 February 2025, will be lifted.

This is effective from 18:00 on Wednesday 26 March 2025.

18 March 2025

Following the successful completion of surveillance activities at the infected commercial premises near Dungannon, County Tyrone, the 3km Protection Zone (PZ) in place there, will merge with the 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ).

This is effective from 18:00 on Monday 17 March 2025.

A declaration of the PZ SZ merge which details all the measures that must be adhered to can be accessed here.

28 February 2025

Following confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in both commercial premises in Pomeroy and Cookstown, a 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone have been established around both premises.

Both PZ &SZ declarations which detail all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km and 10km zone can be accessed here. 

24 February 2025

A Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) has been established around a commercial poultry premises near Cookstown, County Tyrone following preliminary positive results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland (NI), Brian Dooher, has taken the decision based on a number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

The TCZ comprises a 3km TCZ-A and a 10km TCZ-B.  The TCZ declaration which details all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km and 10km zone can be accessed here. 

23 February 2025

A Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) has been established around a commercial poultry premises near Pomeroy, County Tyrone following preliminary positive results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland (NI), Brian Dooher, has taken the decision based on a number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

The TCZ comprises a 3km TCZ-A and a 10km TCZ-B.  The TCZ declaration which details all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km and 10km zone can be accessed here. 

20 February 2025

Following the receipt of official laboratory confirmation by the National Reference Laboratory, Weybridge, England, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland has confirmed that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is present in a commercial poultry premises near Dungannon, County Tyrone.

As a result, the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) that was in place there, effective of Saturday 15 February, has been revoked and replaced by a 3km Protection Zone (PZ) and a 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ) from 08:45 hrs today, Thursday 20 February 2025.

A PZ and SZ declaration which details all the measures that must be adhered to can be accessed here.

15 February 2025

A Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) has been established around a commercial poultry premises near Dungannon, County Tyrone following preliminary positive results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland (NI), Brian Dooher, has taken the decision based on number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

The TCZ comprises a 3km TCZ-A and a 10km TCZ-B.  The TCZ declaration which details all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km and 10km zone can be accessed here. 

13 February 2025

Following official laboratory confirmation, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland has confirmed that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is present at a captive bird premises in Magherafelt, County Londonderry.

A 3km Captive Bird Monitoring Controlled Zone has been established around the affected premises.  This replaces the Captive Bird Temporary Control Zone that was declared around the premises on the 07 February 2025.

A copy of the Captive Bird Monitoring Controlled Zone declaration, which details all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km zone is available here.

12 February 2025

Mandatory housing measures for all kept birds and poultry are to come into force across Northern Ireland (NI) from 00:01 on Monday 17 February 2025.

In addition, a ban on the gatherings of galliforme (including pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkey, guinea fowl), anseriforme (including ducks, geese, swans) and poultry will be implemented in conjunction with this housing order.

Full details of the measures required are available to view here.

07 February 2025

DAERA has introduced a 3km Captive Bird Temporary Control Zone (CBTCZ) around a captive bird premises outside Magherafelt, County Londonderry, following the receipt of preliminary positive results of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1.  

A copy of the Captive Bird Temporary Control Zone (CBTCZ) Declaration, which details all the requirements that must be adhered to by poultry and other captive bird keepers within the 3km CBTCZ, can be viewed here. 

18 January 2025

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been introduced from 12:00 noon on Saturday 18 January 2025.  The AIPZ places a legal requirement on all bird keepers in Northern Ireland to follow strict biosecurity measures.  This applies if you keep pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard or hobby flock. 

Declarations and Avian Influenza Map Viewer

Full details of the scope and measures required within any of the declared zones can be viewed in the published declarations, which are available to view here.

The Avian Influenza Map Viewer can be accessed here.