Latest Situation

2 April 2026

Following the conclusion of veterinary surveillance activities, the Surveillance Zone (SZ) put in place around commercial poultry premises near Omagh, County Tyrone, will be lifted.

This is effective from Tuesday 07 April 2026 at 17:00hrs.

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for the whole of NI remains in place, which means it is a legal requirement for all poultry and other captive birds to be housed or otherwise kept separate from wild birds. As part of the AIPZ, bird keepers must follow strict biosecurity measures in order to mitigate against disease incursion. 

A ban on the gatherings of galliforme (including pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkey, guinea fowl), anseriforme (including ducks, geese, swans) and poultry is also in force.

For more details follow the below link

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

29 March 2026

Following the successful completion of surveillance activities around a commercial poultry premises near Omagh, County Tyrone, the 3km Protection Zone (PZ) put in place will merge with the 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ). 

This is effective from 17:00 on Sunday 29 March 2026.

All the measures that must be adhered to within the SZ can be accessed on the Disease Control Zone Declarations page.

11 March 2026

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 Omagh, County Tyrone.

As a result, the Temporary Control Zones (TCZs) that were put in place, effective from 17:00 on 04 March 2026 have now been revoked and replaced by 3km Protection Zones (PZs) and 10km Surveillance Zones (SZs) around each infected premises. 

These are effective from 17:00 on 11 March 2026.  All measures that must be adhered to within the PZ and SZ can be accessed on the Disease Control Zone Declarations page.

04 March 2026

Following preliminary positive results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) has been established around a poultry premises near Omagh, County Tyrone. This is effective from 17:00 hours today.

The Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) 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 CVO has, therefore, taken the decision, as a precautionary measure, to apply appropriate disease control measures, including the humane culling of all poultry on the site to mitigate for onward disease spread.

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 zones can be accessed on the Disease Control Zone Declarations page.

A DAERA Press Release is available to view here.

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for the whole of NI remains in place, which means it is a legal requirement for all poultry and other captive birds to be housed or otherwise kept separate from wild birds. As part of the AIPZ, bird keepers must follow strict biosecurity measures in order to mitigate against disease incursion.

A ban on the gatherings of galliforme (including pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkey, guinea fowl), anseriforme (including ducks, geese, swans) and poultry is also in force.

For more details follow the below link

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

04 January 2026

A timeline of key events from 28 September 2025 - 04 January 2026 can be found at the link below.

Avian Influenza Northern Ireland Timeline | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs